How judo technique names work

Official names are romanized Japanese, built from short word-parts. If you learn the parts, new names stop feeling random and you can tell similar techniques apart (for example O Soto Gari vs Ko Soto Gari).

Throws: common endings

Many throwing names end with one of these “families”:

Nage: Throw — often the last word (Seoi Nage, Tomoe Nage).
Otoshi: Drop — you drop or break balance downward (Tai Otoshi, Uki Otoshi).
Guruma: Wheel — rotation around a point (Kata Guruma, Hiza Guruma).
Gari: Reap — reaping uke’s leg (O Uchi Gari, Ko Soto Gari).
Harai / Barai: Sweep — sweeping uke’s foot or leg (Harai Goshi, De Ashi Harai).
Gake: Hook / block — blocking the leg (Ko Soto Gake).
Makikomi: Wrapping / winding in (Ko Uchi Makikomi).
Gaeshi: Counter / reversal — often in sacrifice counters (Sumi Gaeshi, Tsubame Gaeshi).

Throws: direction and size

O: Major / large — O Goshi, O Soto Gari, O Uchi Gari.
Ko: Minor / small — Ko Uchi Gari, Ko Soto Gari.
Soto: Outer — to the outside of uke’s body.
Uchi: Inner — to the inside.
De: Advancing / forward-stepping feel — De Ashi Harai.

Throws: body parts and actions

Seoi: Shoulder (loaded on the back) — Morote Seoi Nage, Ippon Seoi Nage, Seoi Otoshi.
Goshi / Koshi: Hip — hip throws (Uki Goshi, Tsurikomi Goshi). Same idea; spelling differs in romanization.
Ashi: Foot / leg — foot techniques (Sasae Tsurikomi Ashi, Okuri Ashi Harai).
Tai: Body — Tai Otoshi.
Uchi Mata: Inner thigh / reap (often learned as one name, not “inner + thigh” literally).
Morote / Ippon: Two-handed / one-handed — Morote Seoi Nage vs Ippon Seoi Nage.
Tsuri / Tsurikomi: Lifting / lifting and pulling — Tsuri Goshi, Tsurikomi Goshi.
Uki: Floating — Uki Goshi, Uki Otoshi.
Hiza: Knee — Hiza Guruma.

Osae komi (pins): Gatame

Holds almost always end in Gatame (control / lock). The first words describe the shape or scarf (kesa), direction (yoko, kami, tate, ushiro), or a variant (Hon standard, Kuzure modified).

Examples from this syllabus: Hon Kesa Gatame, Yoko Shiho Gatame, Kami Shiho Gatame, Tate Shiho Gatame, Kata Gatame, Mune Gatame.

Shime waza (strangles): Jime or Eri

Many names end in Jime (strangle). Juji suggests a cross-arm pattern; Eri is the collar — Okuri Eri Jime.

Examples: Nami Juji Jime, Hadaka Jime, Kata Juji Jime, Gyaku Juji Jime, Sankaku Jime.

Kansetsu waza (locks)

Names often combine a limb (Ude arm, Waki armpit side, Hiza knee) with Gatame (armbar-style control) or Garami (entangled / winding lock) — Juji Gatame, Ude Garami, Ude Gatame.

Using this with the app

Each row in the syllabus is still the official name plus an English gloss. This page is a memory aid: learn a handful of roots, then map any new technique onto what you already know. Your coach or federation wording always wins over a casual translation.

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