Kendoist, Kenshi, what to call practitioners.

[buckheadhobo]

So, I've noticed that a lot of people on this board tend to get super-offended whenever someone (mis)uses the words.
When do you call someone a kenshi, a kendoist, and what other terms are there?

[drizzt]

ive also heard kendoka used.

[Mr. T.]

The folks in my dojo like to be called kendoka (only those who practice kendo, the rest of us are iaidoka:)).

[tilt]

My sensei uses the expression "Kendo-ka".

[rottunpunk]

suffixed by the ka, e.g kendoka, iaidoka, judoka, aikidoka.
ive heard kenshi used also
never kendoist until you mentioned it im afraid :D
:p

[Andrew S]

From a distance, and if he's wearing bogu, anything you want!
Up close, and he's got a shinken, "Sir!" :D

Kendoka is probably best, kenshi a close second.

[walnut]

In Japan I've never heard kendoka or kenshi used to discribe a modern practitioner of kendo. The suffix -ka is usually used to discribe someones occupation, so unless you make a living doing kendo it's probably not appropriate. Kenshi sounds to me like the samurai version of an old-west gunslinger.

It seems like there was a thread about this on here recently...

[ahmed61086]

Kendoist is good. I use it.

[Ignatz]

I like to be called "Your enormousness" or "Kendo God" but most folks in the dojo call me grandpop or Ojiisan.:ponder:

[Hai_hai]

You do not use kendoist.

If you see a kendo sensei in the dressing/locker room, it's common to greet him casually saying, "Kawaii" while pointing at his nether regions.

[David]

You do not use kendoist.

If you see a kendo sensei in the dressing/locker room, it's common to greet him casually saying, "Kawaii" while pointing at his nether regions.

Indeed. But keep in mind, it's only appropriate while in the presence of your senpai.

Keep in mind that I don't speak a whole lot of Japanese, (Just key-words, and maybe a phrase here and there, but that's about it.) but from what I understand, this is how it goes:

Kendoist is a term used only in English speaking countries. It's usually used when talking to people who don't know much about Japanese culture. It makes things easier. If you tell someone that you're a kendo-ka or a kenshi, chances are they'll be like, "Huh? What does that mean?"
But if you tell them that you're a kendoist, they'll understand that you're someone who does kendo, even if they have no idea of what Kendo actually is. It saves the time in explaining that you're a practitioner of the art.

Kendo-ka is pretty much the Japanese equivalent to Kendoist. The -ka suffix means that you're a practioner of something. If you practice kendo, then you are a kendo-ka. If you draw manga, you're a manga-ka. It doesn't matter if it's your occupation or not.

Kenshi is the Japanese equivalent to Swordsmen. So even an Iaido-ka can be called a kenshi. I think.

Just out of curiosity, who's gotten offended over this? I've never seen it brought up before.

[Anime12478]

I don't think that anyone has been offended about being called a kendoka or something. They might correct someone to the name they prefer, but I don't think it's anything really bad.

The problem might arise if someone called you a samurai man or something completely wrong. But who knows, there are some anal people out there.

[Hai_hai]

Indeed. But keep in mind, it's only appropriate while in the presence of your senpai.

Keep in mind that I don't speak a whole lot of Japanese, (Just key-words, and maybe a phrase here and there, but that's about it.) but from what I understand, this is how it goes:

Kendoist is a term used only in English speaking countries. It's usually used when talking to people who don't know much about Japanese culture. It makes things easier. If you tell someone that you're a kendo-ka or a kenshi, chances are they'll be like, "Huh? What does that mean?"
But if you tell them that you're a kendoist, they'll understand that you're someone who does kendo, even if they have no idea of what Kendo actually is. It saves the time in explaining that you're a practitioner of the art.

Kendo-ka is pretty much the Japanese equivalent to Kendoist. The -ka suffix means that you're a practioner of something. If you practice kendo, then you are a kendo-ka. If you draw manga, you're a manga-ka. It doesn't matter if it's your occupation or not.

Kenshi is the Japanese equivalent to Swordsmen. So even an Iaido-ka can be called a kenshi. I think.

Just out of curiosity, who's gotten offended over this? I've never seen it brought up before.
No. No one calls a karate or judo student a karateist or judoist

[Paikea]

The kid carrying the bamboo stick who waltzed into the dojo Friday (with his shoes on), looked at my zekken and said "hey, "Hunter" - where can I watch?" missed it. He was asked to watch from the other side of the door.

Now, "Your Eminence" wouldn't have changed the verdict, but I might have smiled a bit more at it.

[Neil Gendzwill]

I'm not offended by kendo-ist, it's just a little awkward. If you're speaking to someone who doesn't know kendo, it's easiest to say "I practice Japanese fencing". "Kendo player" also works for me.

Kendoka is what my sensei uses. He gave me a funny look once when I said "kenshi". I think where he's from, that's a fancier term that implies a level of skill I didn't have.

[h2o]

I'm not offended by kendo-ist, it's just a little awkward. If you're speaking to someone who doesn't know kendo, it's easiest to say "I practice Japanese fencing". "Kendo player" also works for me. Yeah, "I practice kendo" is the phrase I usually use.
Kendoist sounds weird to my ears, but then I don't have english as my native language.

[ahmed61086]

I am a kendoist. ;)

[kendokamax]

In Japan I've never heard kendoka or kenshi used to discribe a modern practitioner of kendo. The suffix -ka is usually used to discribe someones occupation, so unless you make a living doing kendo it's probably not appropriate. Kenshi sounds to me like the samurai version of an old-west gunslinger.

It seems like there was a thread about this on here recently...

actually kenshi is used quite often. If you read about kendo you will see it a lot.
Kendoka....hmm kind of rare.

[Ignatz]

. . .Kenshi sounds to me like the samurai version of an old-west gunslinger.
Like John Wayne in "The Shootist"

[Paikea]

Like John Wayne in "The Shootist"...the Duke was never "playing".

[Lloromannic]

I like to be called Emilio.

[Galo]

"Wey" (dude) is an informal term to call any kendo practitioner (or any other guy on the street generally) in Mexico. :silly:

"Kendoka" is usually the "formal" (and informed) term for it, as it is used with other practicioners of Japanese martial arts (karateka, aikidoka, judoka).:)

[buckheadhobo]

You do not use kendoist.

If you see a kendo sensei in the dressing/locker room, it's common to greet him casually saying, "Kawaii" while pointing at his nether regions.


Win. Although you could mispronounce it as "kowai" like most people who use random bits of Japanese in their english



Just out of curiosity, who's gotten offended over this? I've never seen it brought up before.

People on this board. They seem to get bent out of shape over it sometimes. Could just be trolls, though.

[David]

Win. Although you could mispronounce it as "kowai" like most people who use random bits of Japanese in their english
Kinda makes you wonder which would be worse, doesn't it?

People on this board. They seem to get bent out of shape over it sometimes. Could just be trolls, though.Probably trolls. I haven't really met any active people who are that anal.

[walnut]

Just out of curiosity, who's gotten offended over this? I've never seen it brought up before.
I don't think it's really a matter of being offended. Both kendoka and kenshi seem to be acceptable in the English speaking kendo world. It would seem strange to me to use either of those terms in Japan though. I asked my wife (who is Japanese) what kind of person she thought the term "kendoka" would describe. She said it sounded like someone who had their own dojo and was carrying on a tradition (like the dojo had been passed on from father to son over a few generations). My wife doesn't actually do kendo though, so I should probably ask some of the sensei I practice with what they think.

Kenshi basically means "swordsman", which, however seriously I take kendo, I don't consider myself to be. I guess that's why I go with the "I practice kendo" approach as well.

[xvikingx]

Kenshi basically means "swordsman", which, however seriously I take kendo, I don't consider myself to be. I guess that's why I go with the "I practice kendo" approach as well.

Do you not hear kenshi? I (he, they, etc) practice kendo is what I hear most often.
I rarely hear anyone really lable someone or themself as kendoka or whatever, but everyonce in while I will hear kenshi. I most often see it used on websites, like when they are recruiting you'll see 剣士募集中(kenshi boshuu-chuu). However that may be a tactic to make it sound more appealing to parents or promising recruits.
I don't care as long as you don't refer to yourself as a samurai or something.

[Newbie]

Over here I've never heard anything other than kendoka, jodoka, iaidoka, aikidoka, judoka, etc.

Different strokes and all that. I don't think anyone'd get offended at being called a kendoist. I used it briefly when I very first started attending the dojo but noone else did and so I just kinda stopped. It wasn't cos I was made to feel I was saying the wrong thing, just that noone else really used the term.

[walnut]

Do you not hear kenshi? I have seen kenshi used in the context you mentioned (剣士募集中... not on the internet but in flyers for スポ少), but I've never heard someone refer to his/herself as a kenshi. Have you?

[xvikingx]

Ok, I was curious if it was a regional thing or something.


Have you?

I have not heard someone actually refer to him/herself as a kenshi but a couple of times (not often) I have heard kenshi used when refering to people who do kendo in general.
The only times I have seen kendo-ka were in Japanese kendo books.