MARTIAL ARTS DICTIONARY
FORMAT TRANSLITERATION BIBLIOGRAPHY NIHONGO KANJI GLOSSARY
れい
rei
(K) OKINAWA KARATE DŌ — COMMANDS
Lit. Expression of gratitude. In Asian culture, bowing is an expression of gratitude and/or reverence. In martial arts, rei or "bowing" is an important expression of the warrior culture and ettiquette. During drills, the command "rei" is used during drills to cue the bowing among students and seniors.
See reigi , reigi sahō
れいぎ
reigi
(B) BUDŌ — GENERAL TERMS
Lit. Manners, courtesy, etiquette. All traditional martial art schools have rules of etiquette. These rules of behavior are observed at all times, but specially during training, social occasions and ceremonies. For example, there are different types of bowing between seniors and juniors; or during seiza (sitting meditation) at the beginning and end of every class.
See rei , reigi sahō
れいぎさほう
reigi sahō (alt. reigi sahou, reigi saho)
(S) SHINJINBUKAN — PHILOSOPHY
Lit. A set of etiquette, courtesy, manners & propriety. In addition to the general martial arts etiquette, the Shinjinbukan School carries an ancient tradition of Okinawan martial arts and culture. These set of traditions, manners and ettiquette as a whole are referred as reigi sahō. These set of traditions are evident during training and other social occasions.
See rei , reigi
れきし
rekishi
(N) NIHONGO — CULTURE
Lit. History.
れんし
renshi
(B) BUDŌ — RANKS & TITLES
Lit. A refined, polished samurai expert. Nowadays, Japanese traditional martial arts use the titles Renshi, Kyōshi & Hanshi, which are equivalent to senior instructor ranks. These tittles were first used by the Samurai warrior. Renshi is the first of the three instructor ranks. It is usually held by a Roku Dan (6th Dan).
See Kyōshi , Hanshi
れんしゅう
renshū (alt. renshuu, renshu)
(N) NIHONGO — CULTURE
(B) BUDŌ — GENERAL TERMS
Lit. Practice. This word is constantly used by Japanese people to inspire intense practice, training or studying among students of any discipline.
ろくだん
Roku Dan (alt. rokudan, roku-dan)
(B) BUDŌ — RANKS & TITLES
Lit. Sixth level or rank. It refers to the rank of sixth degree black belt.
ろきゅう
Ro Kyū (alt. rokyuu, rokyū, rokyu, ro-kyū)
(B) BUDŌ — RANKS & TITLES
Lit. Sixth level or rank. It refers to the sixth rank level below black belt.
りゅう
ryū (1) (alt. ryuu, ryu)
(B) BUDŌ — GENERAL TERMS
Lit. Dragon.
りゅう
ryū (2) (alt. ryuu, ryu)
(B) BUDŌ — GENERAL TERMS
(K) OKINAWA KARATE DŌ — RYŪHA
Lit. Style of, method of, manner of, current, a sink, or flow. This Chinese character is part of most of the names in modern Karate styles, regardless of being Okinawan or Japanese. For example: Shōrin Ryū, Gōjū Ryū, Uechi Ryū, Isshin Ryū, Wadō Ryū, Shito Ryū, etc.
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りゅうは
ryūha (alt. ryuuha, ryuha)
(N) NIHONGO — CULTURE
(B) BUDŌ — GENERAL TERMS
(K) OKINAWA KARATE DŌ — RYŪHA
Lit. A school or style. It refers to the name of a style or an original school of thinking and practice. This term is used in all traditional Japanese arts, including Martials arts and Karate styles.
りゅうきゅう
Ryūkyū (alt. Ryuukyuu, Ryukyu)
(U) UCHINĀ — CULTURE
Lit. Lapis lazuli ball or sphere. It refers to the Ryūkyū Islands or the Ryūkyū Kingdom, known in Chinese as the Liuqiu. Its earliest mention in historical records dates back to the Sui Dynasty (580 — 618ad). In 607, Zhu Kuan, a Chinese explorer sent by Emperor Yangdi discovered some islands in the East China Sea. He described them as “floating globes” and called them Liuqiu, but their exact location was unknown.
Later, the Okinawa Island and its surrounding archipelago came to be known as the "Great Liuqiu" and Taiwan as the "Liuqiu Minor". The Great Liuqiu maintained informal trade and cultural relations with China during the Tang Dynasty (618 — 906ad), the Song Dynasty (960 — 1279ad) & the Yuan Dynasty (1279 — 1368ad).
In 1372, during the Ming Dynasty (1368 — 1644ad) an imperial envoy arrived to the Ryūkyū Islands to request tribute and to insititute the Chinese calendar. At the time, the Ryūkyūs were divided in three kingdoms: Hokuzan, Chuzan, and Nanzan. Lord Satto of Chuzan was the first to accept. In return, he received a seal or cefeng, investing him as king; and was visited by the Tianshi or "celestial envoy" with a delegation several hundred members. By 1383, a Chinese settlement was established at Kume Village, Naha. China recognized each of the Ryūkyū kings with a cefeng. However, by 1416, the Chuzan unified the Ryūkyūs under King Hashi. Every Tianshi missions that visited Okinawa remained in Shuri for weeks or months at a time. Through history, the Ryūkyū Kings received 16 cefeng missions during the Ming Dynasty, and 8 cefeng missions during the Qing Dynasty (1644 — 1911ad).
Okinawa became an important trading point between Japan, China, Korea and Southeast Asia. During the 15th & 16th century over 150 trading expeditions were sent from the Ryūkyū Kingdom to Southeast Asia, to include Siam (Modern day Thailand), Malacca (the 2nd smallest state in Malaysia), Pattani (Modern day Thai provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat); and Java (Indonesia’s largest island). The Chinese tributary system was accepted by many Asian states to ensure regional peace. By offering tribute each nation received the benefit of peace without having to surrender their autonomy. In 1879, as China’s sphere influence diminished and Japan regional expansion increased, the Ryūkyū Kingdom became Okinawa Ken or Okinawa Prefecture.
See Okinawa
りゅうきゅうこぶどう
Ryūkyū Kobudō (alt. Ryuukyuu Kobudou, Ryukyu Kobudo)
(K) KOBUDŌ
The Okinawan weapons system founded by Taira Shinken (1897 — 1970) and later continued by his disciple Akamine Eisuke (1925 — 1999).
See Kobudō , Kobujutsu
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