These definitions are intended for students to understand the vocabulary they encounter while practicing Taido. As such, some definitions may be unsatisfying to more-experienced practitioners looking for nuance. These definitions are purposefully incomplete because they are meant for use as a quick reference.

I have neglected to include any kind of pronunciation guide. The reason is that I don't believe one can learn how to pronounce another language properly without actually learning the basic grammar and usage of that language. For our uses as Taido students, these terms are simply jargon, and mispronunciation is forgivable. Please don't go trying to sound smart by using Japanese words when you don't understand them fully.

For the time being, it's enough to note that Taido remains a "Japanese martial art," and as such requires the adoption of certain terminology.

If you notice any glaring inaccuracies or omissions, I would really appreciate it if you could drop me a line. Thanks.

Anyway, I hope this helps:

A

Age Uke

Rising block.

Aisatsu

Greeting or greeting exchange. The general term for the verbal and bowing exchanges that open and close class, partner work, and competition. Less specific than reigi, which covers the full ceremonial protocol.

Aka

Red.

Arigato Gozaimashita

Thank you, past tense. Used at the end of class, after a kobo or jissen exchange, and after grading or competition matches to thank instructors, partners, and judges for the just-completed practice. The past-tense form is what closes Taido reigi; arigato gozaimasu (present tense) is for general or ongoing thanks.

Arigato Gozaimasu

Thank you, present tense. Used to thank someone for ongoing or general assistance. The form arigato gozaimashita (past tense) is what's used to close a specific completed exchange.

Ashi

Leg or foot.

Ashibarai

Leg sweep. In Taido, usually used as sengi.

Ashigarami

Leg entanglement. A nentai technique in which the practitioner's legs scissor around the opponent's leg at the knee to take their balance and ground them. Listed as nentai-jun-ashigarami and nentai-gyaku-ashigarami in the Gairon, depending on direction of entry.

Ashikubi

Ankle.

Atama

Head.

Ate

Strike, essentially any impact-producing blow that is neither a punch nor a kick.

B

Bakuchu

Aerial backward tumble. The full-air variant of bakuten, completing backward rotation without hand-to-ground contact.

Bakuchugeri

Backflip kick. A tengi kick delivered during the bakuchu aerial backward tumble, with the strike landing as the body rotates through the inverted phase.

Bakuten

Back handspring. A backward tumble with hand-to-ground contact during the rotation.

Botai

Defense form in sotai. One of the five sub-elements of the rendo-and-tenkai category in sotai-giho evaluation. Covers the condition and structure of the defense across upper, middle, and lower target zones, plus the application of continuous technique.

Bu-i

The body part used to make contact in a strike. Specifies which surface delivers the technique: koshi (ball of the foot), ensho (heel-back), sokuto (foot-blade), tegatana (knife-hand), tecchu (hammer-fist), and others. Evaluating the correct bu-i is one of the standard kihon and hokei criteria.

Budo

Generic term for Japanese martial arts or combat sports.

Bujutsu

Applied martial science and technique.

Bunkai

Karate term for technique extraction from kata. Not a Taido practice; Taido's hokei structure does not use bunkai because techniques are taught directly in kihon and kobo. Listed here because students with crossover backgrounds may use the word.

Bushido

The "way of the warrior," a romantic idealization of the ethics of the Japanese pre-industrial warrior class.

C

Chakugan

Eye contact, using the eyes to notice the presence and actions of an opponent.

Chakugan to Mokuhyo

The seventh of the hokei-judai-yoso. Focus and target. Maintaining proper visual awareness of the imagined target throughout, with technique and gaze unified.

Chokujo

Straight, direct, moving in a straight line.

Chokushin No Tai

"Hidden body" posture. The shoulders form a 180-degree angle with the opponent's attack line, hiding the chest. Pairs with ryunen-dachi and jodan-gamae. Reduces the surface available to the opponent's attack and is suited to defense; the use of the opposite hand and leg in front limits attack options. Allows a complete turn back to a natural stance to address an opponent in any direction.

Chu-Naigen

Naigen at the elbow. Used in sengi to power hand techniques including tsuki, uke, harai, tori, and ate. The grading materials identify chu-naigen as the punch-relevant naigen for power generation. See naigen.

Chudan

Middle level.

Chudan Kamae

Middle-level guard. The combination of kokutsu-dachi, hanshin-no-tai posture, and the front hand (honte) above the front knee at shoulder height with the back hand (soete) extended below honte on the same line. Taido's primary kamae for moving in unsoku and the most-used stance across kihon, kobo, and jissen.

Chui

Warning issued in jissen for a minor rule violation: jogai, accidental contact outside the permitted level, or improper conduct. The first chui is recorded; the second becomes keikoku; the third becomes shikkaku.

Chuo

Verbal command in jissen to return to the starting point in the center of the court before resuming the match.

D

Daen-Koka

The third doko-gokai of sentai. The form of motion as an inclined ellipse. The body's spinning trajectory traces a tilted oval, moving forward or backward and downward through the rotation.

Daihyo Sen

Representative match. Used to break ties in dantai jissen when teams are even after the standard five-on-five rounds. One competitor from each team is selected to fight a single decisive round.

Dan

The 10 ranks of black belt level.

Dantai

Team. Used in competition format names for team versions of the events: dantai jissen, dantai hokei, dantai tenkai. Team jissen runs five-on-five, with members numbered 1 through 5 by movement family specialization.

Do

Way or road, suffix used for all Japanese cultural traditions including flower arranging, tea ceremony, and martial arts.

Dogarami

Torso entanglement. A nentai technique in which the practitioner's legs scissor around the opponent's waist or torso. Listed as nentai-jun-dogarami and nentai-gyaku-dogarami in the Gairon.

Dogi

Uniform. Taido's uniform includes uwagi (jacket), hakama (pleated over-pants), and obi (belt).

Dojo

Training location.

Doko

Laws of body movement (動行). One of Taido's three foundational principles, alongside taiki (breathing) and seigyo (control). Doko organizes the offensive side of technique through five movement families: sengi, ungi, hengi, nengi, and tengi, each governed by the doko-gokai.

Doko-Gokai

The five-element specification given in the Taido Gairon for each movement family. The five rules answer: (1) what the movement should resemble in nature; (2) the area protected at initiation (kihatsu-sei); (3) the form of motion; (4) the method of attack; (5) the target keiketsu. The full doko-gokai per family appears in the entries for sentai, untai, hentai, nentai, and tentai, and each component is defined separately.

Dosoku

Movement speed in sotai. One of the five sub-elements of the rendo-and-tenkai category in sotai-giho evaluation. Refers to how fast unsoku and technique deploy together against the opponent.

E

Ebigeri

Shrimp kick.

Eji

The shape of the hiragana え, used to describe the eji-dachi stance whose form resembles it.

Eji Dachi

One-knee-down stance with both knees bent at 90 degrees, named for its resemblance to the hiragana え (eji). The transitional stance between standing and seiza, and the stance for gedan-gamae. Used as the body position for techniques including untai-eji-zuki and sentai-chokujozuki, where it transmits power efficiently from leg to arm through hip rotation. The second of the tachikata-hattai.

Ejizuki

Kneeling punch.

Eki-Naigen

Naigen at the armpit. Used in sengi alongside chu-naigen to drive hand techniques through shoulder and torso rotation. See naigen.

Enpi

Elbow strike. Also "empi." Taido typically uses the broader term ate for elbow strikes.

F

Fudo Dachi

Wide square stance with legs at double shoulder-width, knees bent at 90 degrees, and weight distributed equally between both legs. Feet point slightly outward; shoulders open and body faces forward. The seventh of the tachikata-hattai. Used as a transitional position in unsoku and in delivering some techniques, notably in nentai and jinsei hokei.

Fudozuki

Punch from fudo-dachi.

Fujo

Downward-facing position.

Fujogeri

Flying, downward-facing kick.

Fuku-Naigen

Naigen at the abdomen. Used in hengi, nengi, and tengi to initiate movements driven from the core: the diagonal lean, the twisting body action, and the tumbling rotation. The grading materials identify fuku-naigen as the hengi-relevant naigen for power generation. See naigen.

Fukuteki

Dodging technique, evasion by changing the body's axis.

G

Gaiko

External effect of technique. The visible expression: speed, power, distance, contact. Paired with naiko (internal effect) in Taido's taiki principle, which integrates both.

Ganka-Sokketsu

The fifth doko-gokai of sentai. The target keiketsu is ganka, located on the side of the rib cage. Reached by the sentai strike from a slightly side angle as a consequence of the spinning trajectory.

Gedan

Lower level.

Gedan Kamae

Lower-level guard. The combination of eji-dachi, kaishin-no-tai posture, and the front hand in gedan-barai position. Used before and after techniques in hokei and jissen. Hidari-gedan-gamae has the left leg and left hand forward; migi-gedan-gamae is the mirror.

Gedanbarai

Low parry. The downward sweeping defense with the hand. Appears in Taido in Tensei-no-Hokei, Sei-i-no-Hokei, and Katsumei-no-Hokei. Also the hand position used in gedan-gamae and in jodan-gamae (where it's the haraite).

Gen-Do Maai

Long-range distance. Two steps separate the opponents. From this range, neither can strike directly; the work is reading, planning, and setting up the angle for entry. The third of the three canonical maai given in the Taido Gairon.

Gen-Soku

Unsoku #4. Subtracting step. Retreats from the opponent at an angle by withdrawing one foot.

Genkaku

Restricted-angle zone in the jissen court (the corner regions). Deprecated in current competition rules but retained here as reference for understanding older jissen rule sets and historical match recordings. In the current rules, the entire court is treated as naikuu without the genkaku special-case rules. See genkaku.

Genseiryu

Shukumine Saiko Shihan's school of Karate, which predates Taido by about ten years.

Gentai

The fifth element of waza. The re-establishment of a ready position after kimegi, from which further response is possible. A kimegi without clean gentai routinely fails to score.

Genten

Original point.

Go

5.

Go-Dan-Uke

The five basic uke (defensive techniques) practiced in Taido kihon. The five blocks correspond to the protective response patterns underlying the seigyo principle.

Go Jitsu

The five truths to protect, named in the Kyohan: kokoro (mind), tai (posture), ki (spirit), gyo (action), and gi (technique). When any of these lapses, you create a suki; when the opponent lapses, you have a kyo. The five truths map directly onto the five principles of the gojokun. The gojokun is the positive instruction; the go-jitsu is the diagnostic frame for what fails when the gojokun isn't met.

Go No Sen

Initiative through response. The initiative seized after the opponent's commitment by capitalizing on the moment of imbalance their attack creates. Expressed primarily in the -sei hokei (Tensei, Chisei, Jinsei). One of the three sen.

Go Suki

The five categories of suki: kokoro (mind), tai (posture), ki (spirit), gyo (action), and gi (technique). Each maps to one of the five principles of the gojokun. The Kyohan calls these the "Five Truths to Protect" (go-jitsu); in practice they are usually just called the five suki. See suki.

Godan

Fifth-degree black belt.

Gojokun

The five principles of Taido, recited in opening reigi. The five principles map directly to the five suki: kokoro (mind), tai (posture), ki (spirit), gyo (action), and gi (technique). The gojokun is the positive instruction for each domain; the corresponding suki is what fails when the gojokun isn't met. See gojokun.

Golden Line

Translation of the Gairon's "golden series" of nine keiketsu running vertically down the front of the body through the three tanden zones. From top to bottom: genkan, gyokuchu, juro, danchu, reidai, dogama, kikai, tanden, and kangen. The doko-gokai targets across the five movement families anchor to specific keiketsu in or near this line. Trained primarily through Seimei-no-Hokei.

Gyaku

Reverse.

Gyaku Ashidori

Technique for grabbing an opponent's kick.

Gyaku Tedori

Technique for grabbing an opponent's punch.

Gyakuzuki

Reverse punch.

H

Hachi

8.

Hachi Kyo

The eight opportunities to attack named in the Kyohan: (1) before a move (the opponent is preparing and cannot react); (2) after a move (their balance, breath, and attention need recovery); (3) when missing a technique (mind and body separate at the moment of failure); (4) in distraction (their attention leaves the technique); (5) during loss of balance (in stumbling or fatigue); (6) at deep inhalation (power and reactivity drop); (7) in feint and lure (they commit to the wrong target); (8) when scared (mind and body separate from technique). Each names a specific moment when one of the five suki appears in the opponent.

Hachidan

Eighth-degree black belt.

Haimendori

Back-grab. Grasping the opponent from behind at the waist or shoulders to control their stance and set up a follow-up. Listed as sentai-haimendori in the Gairon: the sentai rotation carries the practitioner around the opponent's flank to take the back position. Pairs with untai-zenmendori (front-grab) at the structural level: the prefix names the direction of the grab.

Hajime

"Begin." Command from the instructor or judge to start a sequence: kihon, hokei, kobo, or jissen. In jissen, hajime starts the clock.

Hakama

Traditional wide black pants. Taido's hakama are much narrower than traditional hakama (to facilitate active unsoku) and are used to hold the uwagi (jacket) in place during unshin and tengi.

Hangetsu Ate

Half-moon strike. A nengi technique in which the leg travels in a half-moon arc to make contact with the heel or shin. Practiced as part of the nentai cluster alongside the garami techniques. See nentai for the doko-gokai.

Hanshi

A title for master instructors at or above 8 dan.

Hanshin No Tai

"Half body" posture. The shoulders form a 45-degree angle with the opponent's attack line. Pairs with kokutsu-dachi and chudan-gamae. The 45-degree posture allows immediate switching to either kaishin-no-tai (for attack) or chokushin-no-tai (for defense), so it functions as a balanced position for both. Also called hanshin-hantai, the third of the seigyo-gotai, where it represents the control principle that older budo schools approach through irimi (entering at an angle).

Hantai

Opposite.

Hantei O Torimasu

"I will take a decision." Verbal command from the chief judge in jissen for the judges to display their flags simultaneously, indicating which competitor scored. Used primarily during hokei and tenkai.

Harai

Sweep or parry, also "barai."

Harai Kuzushi

Sweeping kuzushi. The basic sentai kuzushi technique, where the spinning motion sweeps the opponent's leg to break their stance. Listed as sentai-harai-kuzushi in the Gairon's basic sengi.

Haraite

The front hand in jodan-gamae, held low in gedan-barai position. Functions as the parrying or sweeping hand against incoming low and middle attacks. Takes the front-hand role that soete plays in lower kamae; the term changes because the body posture inverts (chokushin-no-tai) and the hand-position relationships reshape accordingly.

Hayaku

Hurry up.

Heisoku Dachi

Closed-feet stance with both feet parallel and touching. From musubi-dachi, the toes close in to bring the feet together with the heels as center. The first of the tachikata-hattai. Used as a transitional stance and as the starting position for some reigi sequences.

Hengi

The techniques in the hentai movement family. The Gairon lists eight specific basic hengi (hentai-ebigeri, hentai-suiheigeri, hentai-manjigeri, and others). Current Taido competition names techniques by body movement plus strike category: hentai-keri, hentai-kuzushi, hentai-nage. See hentai for the doko-gokai.

Henin No Hokei

Form practice for hengi. The hokei in the -in category corresponding to hentai. The -tai and -in hokei can be performed regardless of gender. See types of hokei.

Hensoku

Irregular footwork. Footwork patterns outside the standard unsoku-happo, used to create unexpected angles or timing. Includes hensoku-ka (irregular advancing) and hensoku-gen (irregular retreating).

Hentai

The body category of axis change through diagonal lean and lateral evasion. One of the five doko (movement families). The five doko-gokai for hentai are hentai-unpu (image), kihatsu-sei-ko (initiation zone), ohen-fubi (form of motion), santei-kyogo (attack method), and kikai-sokketsu (target keiketsu). Each is defined separately. See hentai.

Hentai No Hokei

Form practice for hengi. The hokei in the -tai category that isolates the hentai movement family. See types of hokei.

Hentai-Unpu

The first doko-gokai of hentai. The image of clouds in a windy sky, growing and changing shape. The hentai movement embodies this quality of fluid axis change that follows the line of incoming force.

Hidari

Left.

Hien

Flying.

Hienzuki

Flying or jumping punch. The hien ("flying") prefix marks any technique with an airborne phase. Most often used as untai-hienzuki, the airborne untai punch. See untai for the doko-gokai.

Hiji

Elbow.

Hikiashi

The pull-back of the kicking leg after a kick. Evaluated in kihon and hokei for speed and clean recovery: a slow or sloppy hikiashi leaves the kicking leg exposed and breaks the connection back to gentai. Important for chaining kicks together and for returning cleanly to kamae.

Hikite

Pulled-back hand position. Used in gedan-gamae as the position of the back hand (clenched as a fist, held at the hip). Also used in tsuki technique to refer to the non-punching hand pulled back to the hip as the punching hand extends. The pull-back generates rotational power into the strike through the opposite-arm mechanic.

Hiza

Knee.

Hokei

Set sequences of techniques performed solo, organized into five distinct categories, each developing a specific aspect of the Taido system. The five categories are: -tai hokei (Sentai, Untai, Hentai, Nentai, Tentai), which isolate each movement family; -in hokei (Yogen and Ingen, plus the older Senin, Unin, Henin, Nenin, Tenin), which apply seigyo principles; -sei hokei (Tensei, Chisei, Jinsei), which integrate the heaven-earth-human triad of capability; -mei hokei (Seimei, Katsumei, Enmei), which develop breathing; and Sei-i-no-Hokei. See types of hokei.

Hokei-Judai-Yoso

The ten paired criteria used to evaluate hokei performance: yoi-to-kisshin, taijiku-to-seitai, kobo-to-inyo, kankyu-to-kyojaku, shinshuku-to-goju, kiai-to-iryoku, chakugan-to-mokuhyo, kokyu-to-seiho, unsoku-to-unshin, and zanshin-to-kaitai. Each is defined separately. Hokei competition judging applies these as both addition criteria for excellent execution and deduction criteria for flawed execution.

Honte

The lead hand of a kamae. In gedan-gamae and chudan-gamae, honte is the front hand on the same side as the front leg. In jodan-gamae, the body posture inverts (chokushin-no-tai), and honte is still the hand on the front-leg side, but it sits raised behind the head while haraite holds the front position low. The honte initiates technique in tsuki and leads protection in uke.

I

Ichi

1.

Ido

Moving.

Ido Tanren

Moving practice. In America, a practice routine for combining unsoku and technique.

In

Negative polarity, similar to Chinese "yin" of yin and yang. Refers to passivity or defense.

In-Soku

Unsoku #2. Pulling step, withdrawing from contact while maintaining the line.

Ippon

Full point.

Iso

Angular phase between practitioners. The angle of one body relative to the other, treated as a continuously shifting relationship: as both bodies move, the angle changes moment to moment. Sits alongside maai in the grading handbook's sotai-giho evaluation, where iso names the angular dimension of spatial relationship the way maai names the distance dimension. The five sub-elements of iso evaluation parallel those of maai: unsoku, ni-no-ashi, hoko (direction), kyojitsu (feints), and ohen (adaptability).

J

Jikan

Time.

Jikan Desu

Announcement in tournaments that the allotted time has expired.

Jissen

Free sparring. Taido's game of improvised attack and defense.

Jodan

Upper level.

Jodan Kamae

Upper-level guard. The combination of ryunen-dachi, chokushin-no-tai posture, and the back hand (honte) raised behind the head with the front hand (haraite) held low in gedan-barai position. The hand orientation inverts compared to gedan and chudan because the body is turned in the opposite direction.

Jogai

Out of bounds.

Ju

10.

Jun

In compounds like jun-ashigarami, indicates the regular or forward direction (vs gyaku, reverse). Not the same as the broader Japanese jun meaning "sequence"; that meaning isn't operational in Taido.

Junbi-Taiso

Preparatory exercises. The warm-up sequence performed at the start of class to prepare the body for technique: joint rotations, dynamic stretches, posture and breathing work, and basic movements that build into the day's practice.

K

Ka-Soku

Unsoku #3. Adding step. Advances toward the opponent at an angle by extending one foot forward.

Kaeshigeri

Returning kick. Usually delivered as a reverse shajogeri, the leg coming back through the target after an initial strike or feint.

Kaicho

President.

Kaijo

Turning.

Kaijogeri

Turning kick. Taido's roundhouse kick. The leg travels in a horizontal arc to strike with the instep or shin.

Kaishin No Tai

"Open body" posture. The shoulders form a 90-degree angle with the opponent's attack line, presenting the full front of the body. Pairs with eji-dachi and gedan-gamae. Allows simultaneous use of both arms and legs and is suited to attack; the wider target surface is less efficient for defense. Equivalent to judo's shizen-hontai and kendo's seigan-no-gamae.

Kaiten

Rolling or tumbling.

Kamae

Combat stance and guard. In Taido a kamae integrates three things: stance (one of the tachikata-hattai), body posture (one of kaishin/hanshin/chokushin-no-tai), and hand position. The three primary kamae are gedan-gamae, chudan-gamae, and jodan-gamae, each a fixed combination of these three elements. The relationship between them is called rikkotai-no-sanrenkan in the Kyohan: stance determines kamae, kamae determines body posture.

Kangen-Sokketsu

The fifth doko-gokai of untai. The target keiketsu is kangen, located in the lower abdomen below the navel. Reached by the untai strike's downward-driving force.

Kankyu to Kyojaku

The fourth of the hokei-judai-yoso. Tempo and force. The proper distribution of speed (fast and slow) and force (strong and weak) toward each target across the form.

Kansetsu Waza

Joint techniques.

Karami

Entanglement. The class of techniques that scissor or trap part of the opponent's body between the practitioner's limbs. Karami techniques are concentrated in nentai, where the twisting body action allows the thighs to close around the opponent's neck, torso, or legs. The named karami in the Gairon are ashigarami (leg), dogarami (torso), and kubigarami (neck), each with jun and gyaku directional versions, plus kaeshi-garami (returning entanglement).

Kata

Shoulder.

Kei-Naigen

Naigen at the neck. Used in tengi to initiate the body's tumbling motion through the head-and-neck flexion that begins each roll. See naigen.

Keiko

Period of practice or study.

Keiko O Owarimasu

Class is over.

Keikoku

Second-level warning in jissen, issued after an initial chui or directly for a more serious violation. A second keikoku in the same match leads to shikkaku.

Keiketsu

Acupressure points along the keiraku channels. In Taido these are functionally categorized: keiketsu in the tanden system are key for taiki training; keiketsu in the muscles are key for doko (technique generation); keiketsu in the arms and legs are key for seigyo (control). The Gairon describes nine specific keiketsu running down the front of the body in the "golden line" through the three tanden zones.

Keiraku

The traditional East Asian system of energy channels through the body. Taido's taiki principle is grounded in the keiraku idea: breathing methods activate keiketsu points, and techniques target or protect them. Most modern budo schools have dropped the keiraku basis; Taido is structurally built on it.

Keri

Kick, also "geri."

Kesageri

Flying side kick.

Ki

Energy, attention, or feeling.

Kiai

A shout used to focus the breath and intention along with a decisive technique.

Kiai to Iryoku

The sixth of the hokei-judai-yoso. Ki and power. The culmination at kimegi where ki and physical force combine in a single discharge against the target.

Kidosen

Line of motion (機動線). The directional axis along which technique is executed.

Kidoten

Point of motion (機動点). The pivot-point about which a stationary technique rotates.

Kihatsu

The initiation moment of a technique. The instant the body begins the movement that becomes the kimegi. Each of the five movement families has a defined kihatsu-sei zone, the body region that drives the initiation and is simultaneously most exposed during it.

Kihatsu-Bui

Initiation point or area. The body location from which a technique starts moving. The hokei chapter of the Kyohan instructs the practitioner to respond to kihatsu-bui across the six directions (above, below, left, right, front, back), meaning to read where the opponent's technique is initiating from in order to defend correctly. Distinct from kihatsu-sei (the body zone protected at initiation, from the doko-gokai) and kihatsu-kitai (the prepared posture before initiation, from the seigyo-gotai); all three address different aspects of the kihatsu moment.

Kihatsu-Kitai

The second of the five seigyo-gotai. The prepared posture that holds the moment before initiation. Equivalent to kamae in older budo. Has two modes: yuko-no-kamae (visible form, an outward fighting stance) and muko-no-kamae (invisible form, where readiness is held internally without an outward fighting posture).

Kihatsu-Sei-Hai

The second doko-gokai of nentai. The back drives the twisting initiation through fast turning. Also called kihatsu-sei-kyo, referring to the chest as the front side of the same axis.

Kihatsu-Sei-Ken

The second doko-gokai of sentai. The shoulder is the body zone that drives the spinning initiation and is most exposed during it. Also called kihatsu-sei-do, where the broader torso is treated as the moving zone.

Kihatsu-Sei-Ko

The second doko-gokai of hentai. The crotch is the pivot zone that drives the diagonal axis change at initiation. Also called kihatsu-sei-sho, referring to the heel of the pivot leg as the contact point for the body's redirection.

Kihatsu-Sei-Soku

The second doko-gokai of untai. The leg drives the rising-and-dropping initiation, with the foot striking through in sokko-totetsu. Also called kihatsu-sei-shitsu, where the knee is treated as the joint powering the descent.

Kihatsu-Sei-Yo

The second doko-gokai of tentai. The waist drives the rolling initiation through fast turning. Also called kihatsu-sei-den, referring to the buttocks as the broader hip region powering the roll.

Kihon

Basic. Refers to the foundational training of stance, footwork, and technique done individually before sotai (partner work). Distinct from kihongi (the basic techniques themselves) and kobo (prearranged offense and defense practice).

Kihongi

Basic techniques. The foundational waza of each movement family. The Gairon lists specific kihongi for each of the five doko (sentai-chokujozuki, untai-shomengeri, hentai-ebigeri, and others); current Taido competition names techniques by body movement plus strike category rather than these older specific names, but the kihongi are still the canonical reference for what a complete waza in each family looks like.

Kikai-Sokketsu

The fifth doko-gokai of hentai. The target keiketsu is kikai, located in the lower abdomen above kangen. Reached by the hentai strike from a low position, generally upward at about 45 degrees.

Kime

Focus or decision, often in reference to "clean" or "sharp" technique.

Kimegi

The decisive finishing technique within waza. The fourth element in the unsoku → sotai → seiho → kimegi → gentai sequence. Kimegi is what scores: it's the moment the body, the position, the breath, and the target line all converge in a single intentional action.

Kintama

Groin (male).

Kinteki

Any attack toward the groin.

Kiotsuke

Verbal command to come to attention. Calls students into musubi-dachi with attention focused. The literal sense is "place your ki": gather attention into the body and posture. Standard opening command for class lineups and reigi sequences.

Ko-Naigen

Naigen at the top of the foot. Used in ungi to initiate the foot's downward driving motion in sokko-totetsu, and in hand-to-foot techniques generally. See naigen.

Ko-Soku

Unsoku #5. Crossing step. Changes the angle to the opponent by crossing one foot in front of or behind the other.

Kobo

Prearranged offense/defense practice.

Kobo to Inyo

The third of the hokei-judai-yoso. Offense and defense, yin and yang. Discerning the relationship between one's own body during attack and defense and the body of the opponent being attacked. The interplay of active and passive states across the form.

Kogeki

Attacker or attacking technique.

Kohai

Junior student.

Koka Sokuto Keri

Dropped side kick. A side kick delivered as the body drops, with the foot-blade (sokuto) as the contact surface. Often delivered from untai with the body falling onto the kick.

Kokan-Shokuhatsu

The third doko-gokai of nentai. The form of motion as initiating the swirl at the moment of contact. The crotch (kokan) reaches the opponent first; the twisting body action begins at that touch.

Kokutsu Dachi

Back-weighted stance with weight distribution shichigen-sanka (70% rear, 30% front). The front foot points forward, the rear foot turns 45 degrees outward, and the body angles at 45 degrees. Pairs with chudan-gamae and hanshin-no-tai posture. The fifth of the tachikata-hattai. Taido's primary stance for unsoku.

Kokyu

Breath.

Kokyu Ho

Breathing methods.

Kokyu to Seiho

The eighth of the hokei-judai-yoso. Breathing and execution. Varying breathing methods through the form to consolidate energy according to stamina demands. Note that this seiho refers to the breath-execution method in hokei evaluation; for the seiho that is one of the five elements of waza, see the separate seiho entry.

Koo-Kotai

The first of the five seigyo-gotai. The natural ready posture from which response begins. Equivalent to taikyoku in older budo. The tanden keiketsu series sits at the center of this posture, and the breathing methods of taiki underpin it. The posture holds open potential before any commitment to attack or defense.

Kotai

Attack form in sotai. One of the five sub-elements of the rendo-and-tenkai category in sotai-giho evaluation. Covers the condition and structure of the attack across upper, middle, and lower target zones, plus the application of continuous technique.

Koten

Back roll. Rolling backward over the shoulder to a kneeling or standing position. One of the basic tengi tumbling movements. Used as both defensive evasion and the entry for tengi techniques like tentai-koten-geri.

Ku

9.

Kubi

Neck.

Kubigarami

Neck entanglement. A nentai technique in which the practitioner's legs scissor around the opponent's neck. Listed as nentai-jun-kubigarami and nentai-gyaku-kubigarami in the Gairon. The most demanding of the standard garami because of the height the legs must reach.

Kuro Obi

Black belt.

Kuzushi

Destabilizing technique. Any action that upsets the opponent's balance, often as a setup for a follow-up strike or to create the conditions for nentai entanglement. Kuzushi is an action category that appears across multiple movement families: sentai-harai-kuzushi, untai-oshi-kuzushi, hentai-keke-kuzushi, hentai-nage-kuzushi. Current Taido competition names these by body movement plus the kuzushi action.

Kyo

Opportunity to attack, found in the opponent's openings. The Kyohan identifies eight specific opportunities (hachi-kyo) and uses kyo to mean the opponent's openings as distinct from your own (suki). In everyday Taido use, both are usually called suki without the formal distinction.

Kyojitsu

Feint and real. The use of false commitment to draw response, then attacking the resulting opening. Evaluated in sotai-giho as part of how maai and angle are used to reach the target. Linked conceptually to hachi-kyo-go-jitsu: feints create kyo by inducing one of the five suki in the opponent.

Kyoshi

Title for instructors at or above 6 dan.

Kyu

The levels before black belt level, also known as the rainbow belts.

Kyuchu

Flying, in-air.

Kyuten-Raika

The third doko-gokai of tentai. The form of motion as rolling with lightning speed. The body tumbles freely along the line of the opponent's movement, with the strike arriving as part of the roll.

M

Maai

Engagement distance. Includes both physical separation and the felt anticipation of how that distance will change. The Gairon names three canonical maai by step-count: so-o, yu-do, and gen-do. The rule book and grading materials also distinguish yuko-maai (effective distance, where techniques can land) and muko-maai (ineffective distance). Distance is one of the three things ni-no-ashi exists to control, alongside direction and speed.

Maai-Sokketsu

The fifth doko-gokai of tentai. The target is reached by adjusting the rolling distance to the opponent's maai. The roll itself sets the strike location; longer or shorter rolls target different points along the opponent's body.

Mae

Front.

Mae Ashi Dachi

Front-foot stance: front foot facing forward and bearing weight, rear foot at 45 degrees on the ball, both knees bent at 90 degrees, body angled at 45 degrees. The arch of the rear foot touches the inside of the front ankle. The third of the tachikata-hattai.

Maegeri

Front kick.

Makiwara

A wrapped target for training the mechanics of various strikes.

Manji

Japanese swastika. Good luck symbol used to denote temples on Japanese maps.

Manjigeri

Manji kick. A hengi kick named for its similarity to the shape of the manji character (卍). The leg travels along an angled trajectory consistent with the diagonal axis change of hentai. Listed as hentai-manjigeri in the Gairon. See hentai for the doko-gokai.

Mawashi

Going around.

Mawashigeri

Turning kick, roundhouse kick.

Migi

Right.

Mochi Waza

Designated technique. In dantai jissen and tenkai, the technique each competitor is assigned to execute based on their team number and movement family. Failing to deliver the mochi-waza incurs a deduction.

Modote

"Return." Command to return to the starting position or original kamae after completing a sequence. Often given before a new repetition of the same drill.

Moichido

"One more time." Command to repeat the previous sequence. Used in kihon training and hokei practice.

Mokuso

Brief seated meditation. Performed at the start and end of class to settle the mind for practice and to mark the boundary between training and the rest of life. Standard duration ranges from a few seconds to a couple of minutes.

Morote

Both hands.

Morote Gedan

Kokutsu stance in which both hands are held low.

Muko Maai

Ineffective engagement distance. The range at which neither opponent can land a technique. Used as a frame for understanding when to break engagement and when to enter. See maai for the full cluster.

Musubi Dachi

Closed stance with heels together and toes pointed outward at about 60 degrees. The "at attention" posture used for ritsurei and as the starting point for transitions into other stances. Not part of the tachikata-hattai but used throughout reigi.

N

Nage

Throw.

Nage Kuzushi

Throwing kuzushi. A hentai kuzushi technique that uses the diagonal axis change to throw the opponent. Listed as hentai-nage-kuzushi in the Gairon's basic hengi. Despite the "nage" naming, this is the hentai principle applied to break and redirect structure, not a judo-style throw.

Nage Waza

Throwing techniques.

Naigen

Initiation points: the inner side of contracted joints, where ki is focused to release kinetic energy into a technique. The Kyohan uses the bow-and-arrow analogy: a contracted joint stores tension that releases as kinetic force when the technique extends. There are nine named naigen across the body, each associated with the joint or body region where it sits. Each movement family uses specific naigen: sengi uses yo, shitsu, chu, and eki; ungi uses shitsu and ko; hengi uses fuku, yo, and sho; nengi uses yo and fuku; tengi uses kei, yo, and fuku. Naigen training is the Kyohan's foundation for developing speed.

Naiko

Internal effect of technique. The effect on internal organs, nerves, breathing, and ki concentration. Paired with gaiko (external effect) in Taido's taiki principle, which integrates both. Trained primarily through the -mei hokei.

Naikuu

The internal space of the jissen court, the area where standard attack and defense develops. Distinguished from the perimeter and the now-deprecated genkaku zone.

Nana

7.

Nanadan

Seventh-degree black belt.

Neko Ashi Dachi

Cat foot stance.

Nenchu

Aerial twisting tumble. Forward or backward rotation combined with an axial twist of the body, completed in the air.

Nengi

The techniques in the nentai movement family. The Gairon lists seven specific basic nengi in the garami (entanglement) category (nentai-jun-ashigarami, nentai-gyaku-dogarami, and others). Nentai practice also includes hangetsu-ate. Current Taido competition names techniques by body movement plus action category: nentai-garami, nentai-ate. See nentai for the doko-gokai.

Nenin No Hokei

Form practice for nengi. The hokei in the -in category corresponding to nentai. The -tai and -in hokei can be performed regardless of gender. See types of hokei.

Nentai

The body category of twisting around a horizontal axis to entangle. One of the five doko (movement families). The five doko-gokai for nentai are nentai-kasho (image), kihatsu-sei-hai (initiation zone), kokan-shokuhatsu (form of motion), ryotai-kyoatsu (attack method), and tenchi-sokketsu (target keiketsu). Each is defined separately. See nentai.

Nentai No Hokei

Form practice for nengi. The hokei in the -tai category that isolates the nentai movement family. See types of hokei.

Nentai-Kasho

The first doko-gokai of nentai. The image of a whirlpool that pulls things in. The nentai movement draws the opponent into the rotation; the rotation itself does the capturing.

Nentaigeri

Horizontal twisting kick. A nengi that strikes with the leg traveling horizontally as the body twists around its axis. The leg sweeps through the target as part of the entanglement motion characteristic of nengi. See nentai for the doko-gokai.

Ni

2.

Ni No Ashi

The "second step" or follow-up step. The leg movement that follows the initial step in unsoku to set up technique. Per the grading handbook, ni-no-ashi has three functions: deciding distance to the opponent, deciding direction of approach, and increasing the speed of the technique that follows. Sits alongside the unsoku-happo (the eight named patterns) as the connective step that adapts unsoku to immediate technique.

Nidan

Second-degree black belt.

Nukite

Spear hand, striking with the tips of the fingers.

O

Obi

Belt.

Ohen

Adaptability through change. The active reshaping of one's own technique under changing conditions of distance, angle, or opponent commitment. Evaluated in sotai-giho through ohen-jitsudo (the actual movement of change). Sits alongside taio in the sotai-giho frame: ohen covers your active adjustment, taio covers your correspondence to the opponent's specific moves.

Ohen-Fubi

The third doko-gokai of hentai. The form of motion as swaying with the wind direction. The body falls forward, backward, left, or right into the attack, going with the line of the opponent's force.

Ohen-Jitsudo

The actual movement of change. The specific technical adjustment made when shifting technique under the pressure of the opponent's response. Used in sotai-giho evaluation as the observable criterion for ohen.

Oizuki

Stepping punch.

Onegai Shimasu

Request for guidance. Spoken when beginning class, kobo, jissen, or any practice exchange. The phrase asks for the partner's effort and attention; in Taido reigi, it carries the reciprocal commitment to give your own.

Oshi

Push.

Oshi Kuzushi

Pushing kuzushi. The basic untai kuzushi technique, where the dropping body weight pushes through to break the opponent's stance. Listed as untai-oshi-kuzushi in the Gairon's basic ungi.

Otagai Ni Rei

Mutual bow between partners. Performed before and after kobo, sotai practice, jissen, or any work with a partner. Acknowledges the partner as the source of training and the agreement to take care of each other through contact.

R

Rei

Bow.

Reigi

Etiquette and ceremonial protocol. In Taido this includes the bowing sequence that opens and closes class, mutual bows between partners (otagai-ni-rei) before kobo or jissen, and the standardized exchanges in competition. The two key spoken phrases are onegai-shimasu (a request for guidance, said when starting) and arigato-gozaimashita (thanks given afterward, in the past tense).

Rendo

Moving continuously.

Rendo-Rentai

The fifth of the five seigyo-gotai. Continuous body-action through defense and counter. The whole sequence executes as one unbroken motion of the body. Block, dodge, and counter form a single continuous action.

Renshi

A title for instructors at 4 dan or 5 dan.

Renshu

Practice.

Rikkotai No Sanrenkan

The three-way interrelation between stance (tachi), kamae, and body posture (tai). The Kyohan formalizes this as: the stance determines the kamae to adopt; the adopted kamae determines the body posture. The three primary triads are eji-dachi / gedan-gamae / kaishin-no-tai; kokutsu-dachi / chudan-gamae / hanshin-no-tai; ryunen-dachi / jodan-gamae / chokushin-no-tai.

Roku

6.

Rokudan

Sixth-degree black belt.

Ryotai-Kyoatsu

The fourth doko-gokai of nentai. Both thighs press together firmly around the opponent's body part (neck, waist, or legs). The thigh pressure is what makes the entanglement secure once the kokan-shokuhatsu has connected.

Ryunen Dachi

Twisting stance: from eji-dachi, the front foot turns 90 degrees outward, and the shoulders turn 90 degrees so that the front-leg-side shoulder goes back and the back-leg-side shoulder comes forward. The name comes from the image of a dragon (ryu) twisting (nen). Pairs with jodan-gamae and chokushin-no-tai posture. The sixth of the tachikata-hattai. Allows quick rotation to face attacks from any direction.

S

Saiko Shihan

Supreme instructor.

San

3.

Sandan

Third-degree black belt.

Sando-Ittai

The fourth doko-gokai of sentai. Three actions unite simultaneously: the hand protecting the head, the leg stepping back, and the rotating hip. The technique succeeds when all three happen as one motion.

Sankyoku-Dosetsu

The fourth doko-gokai of tentai. Three flexions move together: the neck, hip, and knees bend simultaneously to form the smooth rolling motion. The synchronous flexion is what allows the body to roll like a ball.

Sansetsu-Ittai

The fourth doko-gokai of untai. Three joints unite in front of the chest at the moment of impact: the wrist of the punching hand, the elbow of the protecting hand, and the knee of the forward leg. All three must align for the technique to read as untai.

Santei-Kyogo

The fourth doko-gokai of hentai. Three points support the body and stabilize the shape: the pivot leg and both hands (or one hand and the pivot leg). The triangulation holds the diagonal posture while the strike delivers.

Seigyo

Laws of control (制御). One of Taido's three foundational principles, alongside taiki and doko. Seigyo organizes the defensive side of encounter through five forms (seigyo-gotai): koo-kotai, kihatsu-kitai, hanshin-hantai, unsoku-untai, and rendo-rentai. See seigyo in society.

Seigyo-Gotai

The five forms of seigyo identified in the Taido Gairon: koo-kotai (the natural ready posture from which response begins, equivalent to the taikyoku of older budo); kihatsu-kitai (the prepared posture that holds the moment before initiation, equivalent to kamae); hanshin-hantai (the 45-degree half-body posture, parallel to irimi in older budo, also called hanshin-no-tai); unsoku-untai (the use of footwork as a control mechanism); and rendo-rentai (continuous body-action between defense and counter). The Gairon argues older budo schools typically develop one or two of these heavily; Taido is structured to train all five together.

Seiho

One of the five elements of waza. The execution form of the kimegi: how the technique is shaped against the target. Sits between sotai and kimegi in the waza sequence.

Seiretsu

Command to line up. Calls students into formation for class openings and closings. Rank order proceeds from highest to lowest, with senpai positioned to the right.

Seiza

Formal kneeling posture. The legs fold under the body with the tops of the feet flat on the floor and the buttocks resting on the heels. The standard sitting posture for class openings and closings, mokuso, and zarei. The Kyohan describes specific biomechanical effects of regular seiza on knee function and posterior chain strength.

Sengi

The techniques in the sentai movement family. The Gairon lists eight specific basic sengi (sentai-chokujozuki, sentai-shajogeri, sentai-tegatana-uchi, and others). Current Taido competition names techniques by body movement plus strike category: sentai-tsuki, sentai-keri, sentai-ate, sentai-tori, sentai-kuzushi. See sentai for the doko-gokai.

Senin No Hokei

Form practice for sengi using the seigyo principles. The hokei in the -in category corresponding to sentai. The -tai and -in hokei can be performed regardless of gender. See types of hokei.

Senjo

Spinning.

Senjogeri

Spinning kick. The body rotates through the kick to deliver power through rotation. Associated with sentai when delivered as sentai-keri.

Senpai

Senior student, also "sempai."

Sensei

Teacher.

Sensei Gata

Group of instructors.

Sentai

The body category of spinning around a vertical axis. One of the five doko (movement families). The five doko-gokai for sentai are sentai-furin (image), kihatsu-sei-ken (initiation zone), daen-koka (form of motion), sando-ittai (attack method), and ganka-sokketsu (target keiketsu). Each is defined separately. See sentai.

Sentai-Chokujozuki

The basic sentai punch. The Gairon's technical name (chokujo, "direct line") indicates that the fist travels in a straight line to the target through the body's spinning rotation. Listed first in the Gairon's eight basic sengi. Outside Japan typically called sentai-tsuki or "sentai no tsuki."

Sentai-Furin

The first doko-gokai of sentai. The image of swift wind shaking branches and whirling up dead leaves in a forest. The sentai movement embodies this quality of fast, sweeping rotation that picks things up as it passes.

Sentai Nirendo

Two continuous sentai punches. A combination where the spinning rotation continues from the first kimegi into a second sentai-tsuki without a break in motion. See sentai for the doko-gokai.

Sentai No Hokei

Form practice for sengi. The hokei in the -tai category that isolates the sentai movement family. See types of hokei.

Sentai No Tsuki

Spinning punch. Informal name commonly used in the US and EU for sentai-chokujozuki, the formal Gairon name for the basic sentai punch.

Sentai Nukite

Spinning spear-hand strike. The sentai version of nukite, with the fingertips reaching the target as the body rotates through the strike. Listed in the Gairon's basic sengi as sentai-tegatana-uchi.

Shajo

Angular body, diagonal posture.

Shajogeri

Diagonal kick. The leg travels at an upward angle from the ground to strike with the instep or ball of the foot.

Shazenten

Angled forward roll across one shoulder, what's commonly called a shoulder roll. The diagonal variant of zenten, taking the rolling line at an angle so the body crosses one shoulder. The "sha" prefix denotes angular orientation.

Shi

4.

Shi Ho

Four steps, four directions.

Shiai

Contest.

Shichi

7.

Shichigen-Sanka

Weight distribution of 70 percent on the rear leg and 30 percent on the front leg. Characteristic of kokutsu-dachi and the chudan-gamae built on it.

Shihan

Title for high-level instructors, typically above 6 dan.

Shihandai

Secondary dojo leader.

Shikkaku

Disqualification. Imposed for accumulated warnings (a third chui in a match) or for serious hansoku. Replaces the older shikoku in current rules.

Shikoku

Older term for disqualification in jissen, replaced in current rules by shikkaku. Retained for reference when reading older rule documents and match records.

Shin Karatedo Kyohan

Shukumine Saiko Shihan's book on Genseiryu Karate. Includes descriptions of tactics, techniques, and kata.

Shin Untai No Hokei

The updated version of Untai-no-Hokei adopted internationally. Replaces the older form practiced before the revision. See untai-no-hokei.

Shinpan

Judge.

Shinshuku to Goju

The fifth of the hokei-judai-yoso. Extension and contraction, rigidity and flexibility. The appropriate alternation of body extension and contraction, and rigidity and softness, through the form's techniques.

Shinsa

Examination, test for belt/rank promotion.

Shiro

White.

Shitsu-Naigen

Naigen at the knee. Used in sengi to support rotational drive and in ungi to initiate the leg's vertical movement. The grading materials identify shitsu-naigen as the kick-relevant naigen for power generation. See naigen.

Shitsurei Shimasu

"Excuse me" or "I'm imposing." Used when entering a space (such as the dojo) or interrupting someone, especially a senior. In Taido it's the appropriate phrase when arriving late to class, leaving briefly, or addressing an instructor outside structured exchanges.

Sho-Naigen

Naigen at the heel. Used in hengi to drive the pivot leg and shoot out the heel during the diagonal axis change. See naigen.

Shobu Ippon

One-point match.

Shodan

"Beginner," first-degree black belt.

Shomen

Front.

Shomengeri

Maegeri.

Shotei

Palm heel.

Shoteibarai

Parry with palm heel.

Shuto

Knife hand, bottom edge of the hand.

Shuto Ate

Knife hand strike.

Shuyaku

The leading role in tenkai, the single competitor who must finish all five wakiyaku within the time limit using kimegi.

So-O Maai

Close distance. The opponents are within reach: hands and feet can land techniques without further movement. Engagement is forced at this range; either attack or defense must happen. The first of the three canonical maai given in the Taido Gairon.

So-Soku

Unsoku #1. Both-feet step, pushing toward the opponent.

Soete

The supporting hand of a kamae in gedan and chudan. Pairs with honte: in chudan-gamae, soete is held below honte on the same line; in gedan-gamae, soete is pulled back in hikite position. The grading handbook describes soete's roles as protecting suki, calculating distance to the opponent, deciding direction, and guiding the opponent into a chosen line. In jodan-gamae the front-hand role passes to haraite.

Soke

Head of a martial arts school or style. The title held by the founder of Taido, Shukumine Seiken, as Saiko Shihan: both the originator of the system and its supreme instructor. The current Sandai Soke (third-generation head of the school) is Kudo Yoriko, Shukumine's younger daughter.

Sokketsu

Suffix used in the doko-gokai for each movement family to indicate the target keiketsu. The five canonical targets are ganka-sokketsu (sentai), kangen-sokketsu (untai), kikai-sokketsu (hentai), tenchi-sokketsu (nentai), and maai-sokketsu (tentai).

Sokko-Totetsu

The third doko-gokai of untai. The form of motion as the stamping foot crushing through. The instep drives down through the opponent's foot or stance, transferring the body's rising-falling momentum into the strike.

Sokuchu

Aerial cartwheel without hand-to-ground contact. The full-air variant of sokuten, with the body clearing the ground entirely.

Sokuten

Cartwheel. Lateral tumbling with hand-to-ground contact. One of the basic tengi tumbling movements. The entry for tengi techniques including tentai-sokuten-zuki and tentai-sokuten-geri.

Sokuten No Tsuki

Cartwheel punch. A tengi technique delivered during the sokuten cartwheel, with the strike landing as the body rotates through the inverted phase. Listed in the Gairon as tentai-ude-sokuten-zuki.

Sokutengeri

Cartwheel kick. A tengi kick delivered during the sokuten cartwheel, with the strike landing as the legs pass overhead through the inverted phase. Listed in the Gairon as tentai-ude-sokuten-geri.

Sotai (操体)

One of the five elements of waza. The body-movement method (sengi, ungi, hengi, nengi, or tengi) used to deliver a kimegi. The full waza sequence is unsoku → sotai → seiho → kimegi → gentai. Different character and meaning from sotai (相対) below; same romanization.

Sotai (相対)

Combative practice with a partner. Used as an umbrella for kobo, yakusoku-sotai, and jissen, covering all training where two people work technique against each other. The Kyohan curriculum treats sotai training as one of the three phases of working through each movement family, alongside basic training and applied jissen. Different character and meaning from sotai (操体) above; same romanization.

Sotai-Giho

The methods of sotai (combative practice). The grading handbook organizes sotai-giho into three evaluation categories: rendo and tenkai (continuity and deployment); maai and mokuhyo (distance and targeting); iso and mokuhyo (angle and targeting). Each is evaluated through five sub-elements covering speed, form, and adaptability of attack and defense. Sotai-giho is the analytical frame examiners use to assess sotai performance at high-dan grading.

Soto

Outside, outward.

Soto Uke

Outside middle block.

Suihei

Horizontal.

Suiheigeri

Horizontal kick. Taido's side kick, with the leg traveling horizontally to strike with the foot-blade. Associated with hentai when delivered as hentai-suiheigeri. See hentai for the doko-gokai.

Suki

Opening or weakness in posture, attention, action, or technique. Five categories of suki are guarded in Taido practice: kokoro (mind), tai (posture), ki (spirit), gyo (action), and gi (technique). These map directly to the five principles of the gojokun. The Kyohan formally distinguishes suki (your own openings, what to protect) from kyo (the opponent's openings, what to exploit), but in everyday Taido use both are usually called suki.

T

Tachi

Standing, a way of standing.

Tachikata Hattai

The eight standing stances of Taido. In the order given by the grading examiner handbook: heisoku-dachi, eji-dachi, mae-ashi-dachi, ushiro-ashi-dachi, kokutsu-dachi, ryunen-dachi, fudo-dachi, zenkutsu-dachi. Each is defined separately. Together with the three body postures (kaishin-no-tai, hanshin-no-tai, chokushin-no-tai) and the three primary kamae, the eight stances form the basic positional vocabulary for kihon, hokei, and jissen.

Tachirei

Standing bow. Performed from musubi-dachi at one to two meters from the partner, with the upper body bowing forward at about 30 degrees. Used in competition reigi and in less formal class openings.

Tai No Sen

Initiative through readiness. The initiative held by responding from a state of full preparation: the opponent commits first; you act from prepared response. Expressed primarily in the -tai hokei (Sentai, Untai, Hentai, Nentai, Tentai). One of the three sen.

Tai-Soku

Unsoku #8. Withdrawing step. Pulls the body back from contact, often used to reset to genten or kamae.

Taido Gairon

Shukumine Seiken's foundational text on Taido's principles. Provides the system's architectural blueprint: the three principles (taiki/doko/seigyo), the energetics framework underlying movement, and the rationale for Taido as a three-dimensional martial art. Pairs with the Taido Kyohan, which handles technical instruction.

Taidoka

Practitioner of Taido.

Taii No Hokei

Hokei designed for the transition from Genseiryu Karate to Taido. Sits outside the five hokei categories as a bridging form. See types of hokei.

Taijiku

Body axis. The vertical line through the body around which it organizes itself in posture and movement. Maintaining a clean taijiku is one of the hokei-judai-yoso (paired with seitai, posture). All five doko categories are defined as specific changes of the body's axis: sen rotates around the vertical axis, un translates vertically, hen tilts diagonally, nen rotates around a horizontal axis, ten fully inverts the axis.

Taijiku to Seitai

The second of the hokei-judai-yoso. Body axis and posture. Maintaining the correct body axis required for each technique and ensuring the posture supports the technique being performed.

Taikai

Competition.

Taiki

Laws of breathing (体気). One of Taido's three foundational principles, alongside doko and seigyo. Taiki covers the physiological basis of technique: breathing methods, keiketsu activation, and the relationship between internal effect (naiko) and external effect (gaiko). Trained through the -mei hokei (Seimei, Katsumei, Enmei) and the Taiki-Kyuho. See practical breathing techniques and kokyu.

Taiki-Kyuho

The nine breathing methods specified in Chapter 12 of the Taido Gairon and trained through the -mei hokei. The methods are organized around concentrating, holding, and transferring breath through the three tanden zones (jo-tanden, chu-tanden, ge-tanden) and the nine keiketsu of the golden line. Includes apnea-based methods (muki-yutai, yuki-mutai), tanden-concentration methods (taiki-getan, taiki-chutan, taiki-jotan), and breath-transfer methods (danki-tanun and others). The Gairon presents these as foundational to power generation across all of Taido, with the -mei hokei as the formal training vehicle.

Taimen Sankatsu

The three-zone division of the body for attack and defense purposes: jodan (upper, head and above), chudan (middle, torso), gedan (lower, hips and below). Used across kamae, sotai-giho, and judging frameworks to indicate that defensive coverage and attack options must address all three zones.

Taio

Responsive correspondence in sotai. One of the five sub-elements of the rendo-and-tenkai category in sotai-giho evaluation. Refers to how the practitioner's technique corresponds to the specific attack and defense pattern of the opponent across the three target zones.

Tatami

Straw floor mat, often covered in vinyl.

Tatte

"Stand up." Command to rise from seiza or another seated position to a standing stance, usually musubi-dachi. The standard tra