Martial Arts Kanji Dictionary

28/05/2026

08/05/2026

Received my robes, certificate, letter of recommendation and biographies for my honorary doctorate in philosophy for educational writing and martial arts research, for my dictionary.
It really surprises me how a project that was started to compile my own notes on to computer in 1988, took on a life of its own and developed into the Martial Arts Kanji Dictionary.

08/05/2026

I presented Max Beddows Sensei of the Shropshire Gōjū-ryū Academy, with a copy of my Martial Arts Kanji Dictionary, at the UK Martial Arts Show 2026.

31/12/2025

Happy new year and I wish you all a prosperous 2026.

17/05/2025

Shikaku - What does Shikaku mean?

Well first and foremost we have to establish exactly how it is spelt. is it Shikaku, or Shikkaku.
The sound very similar, especially from a Gaijin* listening to it.
Shikkaku (失格)is used in competition to indicate a disqualification. It is a compound of Sh*tsu and Kaku.
Sh*tsu means to lose and Kaku means status or rank. Hence losing status means disqualification.
On the other hand Shikaku (四 ⾓) means a square or quadilateral. Shi (四) is the number four and Kaku (⾓) means corner, or angle and four corners, or four angles is a square.
So, they sound very similar, and could be construed as the same word from a non-japanese listener, but are totally different words.
How would you know the difference?
Shikaku (死角) with the same spelling and pronunciation means blind spot, vulnerable angle, dead space. In this case Shi (死) means literally die, or dead and Kaku (角) the same as above means angle. So a dead angle is a blind spot, vulnerable angle, dead space.
But also - Shikaku (刺客), again also with the same spelling, means Assassin. Shi (刺) means to stab, or pierce and Kaku (客) means guest, customer, or passsenger. Meaning someone that is invited to stab, or pierce, i.e. an Assassin.

Hence why I ask the question - What does Shikaku mean?

Shikaku (四 ⾓) means a square.
Shikkaku (失格) means a disqualification.
Shikaku (死角) means a blind spot.
Shikaku (刺客), means Assassin.

Without going back to the kanji, how can you truly know what martial art terms, or names mean?

Let me know in the comments below.

* Gaijin = (外人 Outsider, Foreigner, Alien).

uchinadi

23/01/2025

The Martial Arts Kanji Dictionary is now available from Lulu.com.
Only the paperback version at the moment, but I will work on getting the hardback version on there soon.
https://www.lulu.com/shop/peter-swallow/martial-arts-kanji-dictionary/paperback/product-849g5z4.html?page=1&pageSize=4

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