Kumdo / Kendo terminology

[Newbie]

Sempai and kohai is "awkward" to define. Different things to different people and can change in different situations.

The usual translation of "sensei" is "teacher" - master is a term we don't normally use.

Out of curiosity - how do you define between sensei and renshi if both mean teacher? And in the cases of there being no sensei, then surely a sempai is a teacher as well. I mean, I know the difference and understand them but writing it down is something else.

We've got one kumdo practitioner in our kendo dojo and quite a few Korean kendo practitioners so I reckon this list is a fantastic idea!

[Oroshi]

Renshi, Kyoshi and Hanshi all pretty much mean 'teacher' (with different nuances, obviously - see below). 'Kyoshi' is the generic word used for a teacher. 'Sensei' on the other hand is an honorific term. Therefore if you refer to yourself as a teacher you should really say 'kyoshi,' and not 'sensei.'

Renshi is 錬師 - training/refining teacher
Kyoshi is 教師 - teaching/educating teacher
Hanshi is 範師 - model/example teacher

[Shawn Dormishev]

YUP it all sounds the same to me..

[Neil Gendzwill]

Renshi, Kyoshi and Hanshi all pretty much mean 'teacher' (with different nuances, obviously - see below). 'Kyoshi' is the generic word used for a teacher. 'Sensei' on the other hand is an honorific term. Therefore if you refer to yourself as a teacher you should really say 'kyoshi,' and not 'sensei.'

Renshi is 錬師 - training/refining teacher
Kyoshi is 教師 - teaching/educating teacher
Hanshi is 範師 - model/example teacher

Wrong "shi". The shi in the generic teacher kyoshi is written 師, whereas the kendo shogo uses 士, same shi as bushi. So hanshi (範士) means model gentleman/warrior.

See this article for more.

[Wesley Myers]

The Korean terms are only phonetic translations - and there is no set official way to spell them. Some may say "Gum Do", others "Gumdo", some "Kum Do", others "Kumdo" - but they all relate a similar sound.

Many (most) training in TKD will not be familiar with the Korean terms as the Korean instructors have always translated most terms into the vernacular. They use literal translations (dorachugi means turn (dora) kick (chugi) - so in class it's called 'turnkick', some schools may call it 'turning kick'). The karate equivolent is 'roundhouse kick'.

The learning curve of terminology is not so steep as you don't have learn foreign terms. Even at higher belt levels you only get a brief introduction to the Korean terms. Basic commands (attention, bow, turn) and counting would be in Korean, but the actual technique would be named in English.

So, to be fair, I can't give the Japanese equivalents to all the terms (as I have not learned them yet).

As for Kumdo - pronounced "coom dough" ("Do" meaning and being said the same in Japanese as in Korean) - I do not know if they use more Korean terminology (for everything) like Kendo uses Japanese.

[Shawn Dormishev]

WES we use all Korean terms in class. gradings are hard

[verissimus]

I do not know if they use more Korean terminology (for everything) like Kendo uses Japanese.

Our club does, actually. Hence the need for the document!

[Oroshi]

Wrong "shi". The shi in the generic teacher kyoshi is written 師, whereas the kendo shogo uses 士, same shi as bushi. So hanshi (範士) means model gentleman/warrior.

See this article for more.

You're right, of course! What's happened to my Japanese!!?

[Neil Gendzwill]

You're right, of course! What's happened to my Japanese!!?

It's way better than mine. I just look this stuff up. But I always remember Meik's article because I found that really interesting.

[Oroshi]

I agree, that was very interesting.

[cesarekim]

There are a couple of official romanization methods for Korean. I gave up after I realized that I was mixing two different methods in the same sentence... As a side note, my personal experience has been that sabumnim is something that is used up to about 7 dan. The 8dan I've met are usually addressed as seunsaengnim. I guess it would be the difference between instructor and master.

[verissimus]

"Wakare" means "separate"

I am in the process of updating the list. What term would you use if you wanted to halt practice briefly and quickly to explain something?

[bullet08]

Hi,

Here are some quick reference to Korean - English titles:

do joo nim : founder (of the art)
kwan jang nim : grandmaster
chung sah nim : chief instructor (or "chief master")
sah bum nim : master instructor - this is more for a master instructor - not for ranks lower than master.
sah boo nim : more intimate and respectful form of "sah bum nim"; literally "teaching father"
kyo sah nim : teacher (also "seon saeng nim") - this is more like just a general 'sensei' term.
sun bae nim : senior student
hu bae nim : junior student
hak saeng : student
suryun saeng : trainee
jeja : pupil
joo sim : referee
bu sim : judge
bae sim : juror
kae sim : time keeper
ki rohk : recorder

hu bae is called hu bae, not hu bae nim since that 'nim' imply someone of respect. and it's just not done.

pete

[Neil Gendzwill]

I am in the process of updating the list. What term would you use if you wanted to halt practice briefly and quickly to explain something?

Yame, "stop". In judo we say "matte" which means "wait", but I haven't heard that in a kendo dojo.

[verissimus]

Well, here's an update:

http://kendo.tamu.edu/terminology.pdf

Everyone is welcome to link to it. Suggestions / corrections are also welcome.