Japanese Go Terms
Keywords: Go term, Index page
Most Japanese Go terms are listed under Go Terms, but this page has kanji, kana and literal translations.
For pronounciation, see the page on the South African Go Clubs or
Swiss Go Association websites.
- Aji (Potential, literally taste) - 味
- Ajikeshi - 味消し destroying aji - see keshi/kesu
- Akisankaku (Empty triangle) - 空き三角
- Amai (soft, weak) - 甘い
- Amashi - 余し
- Atari (atari) - 当たり
- Atsui (Thick) - 厚い
- Boshi (Capping Play) - 帽子
- Botsugi (Staff connection) - 棒継ぎ
- Chuuban (Middle game) - 中盤
- Daidaigeima - 大大ゲイマ
- Dan (Grade, expert rank) - 段
- Fukure (bulge) - フクレ
- Furukami (bulge) - フクラミ (fukurami)
- Fuseki (Opening) - 布石
- Goban (Board) - 碁盤
- Gote (Losing the initiative, playing last) - 後手
- Hanami ko (flower viewing ko, picnic ko) - 花見コウ
- Hane - ハネ
- Hane-dashi (Hane Through) - ハネ出し
- Hane-komi (Hane Wedge) -
- Hiraki (Extension) - ヒラキ
- Honte (Proper move) - 本手
- Hoshi (Star point) - 星
- Ijime
- Ipponmichi - 一本道 ("One-way street")
- Joban (Opening) 序盤
- Joseki (Standard local play, typically in the corner) - 定石
- Josen - 定先
- Jubango - 十番碁
- Kadoban - 角番
- Kaketsugi (Hanging connection) -
- Katatsuki (Shoulder hit) -
- Karami Splitting attack - 絡み
- Karui (Light) - 軽い
- Katachi (Shape) - 形
- Keima (Knight's move) -
- Keisei Handan (Positional Judgement) - 形勢 判断
- Keshi (Erasure, Reduction) - 消し
- Kiai (Fighting spirit) - 气合
- Kifu (Game Record) - 棋譜
- Kikasare (pushed around, submissive) -
- Kikashi (Forcing move) - 利かし
- Ko (Repetitive capture, literally threat) - 劫
- Kodate (ko threat) - 劫立て
- Kohten (Point, point of intersection) - 交点
- Komi (Handicap)
- Komoku (3-4 Point) - 小目
- Kosumi (Diagonal move) -
- Kosumi tsuke (Diagonal attachment) - コスミツケ
- Kuro, Kuroi (Black) - 黒 (noun), 黒い (adjective)
- Kyu (Class, Below expert rank) - 級
- Kyuuba (urgent point) - 急場
- Kyuusho (Vital point) - 急所 (kyuusho)
- Mannenko (Ten thousand year ko) - 万年劫
- Me (eye) - 眼
- Me ari me nashi (With an eye, without an eye) - 眼アリ眼ナシ
- Miai (Shared alternative plays) - 見合い
- Moku (point of territory) - 目
- Mukai Komoku (facing 3-4 points) - 向かい 小目
- Mukou (false ko threat) - 無劫
- Narabi (specific type of stretch) - 並び
- Nerai (Target, aim, intent) - 狙い
- Niken biraki (Two space extension) - 二間開き
- Nigiri (procedure to decide which player has Black - 握り
- Nirensei (Two star points opening) - 二連星
- Nurui (Lukewarm) - 温い
- Oba (Big point) - 大場
- Ogeima (Large knights move) - 大ゲイマ
- Oki (Placement tesuji) 置き
- Omoi (Heavy) - 重い
- Omoshiroi 面白い (lit.) interesting - used to indicate that one side is better
- Owari (the end) - 終り
- Sabaki - 捌き
- Sagari (descent towards the edge of the board) - 下がり
- Sangen biraki (Three space extension) - 三間開き
- Sansan (the 3x3 point) - 三々
- Sanrensei (three star points opening) - 三連星
- Seki (mutual life) - セキ
- Semeai (Capturing race, mutual attack) - 攻め合い
- Sen ai sen - 先相先
- Sen ni sen - 先二先
- Sente (Initiative, playing first) - 先手
- Shidougo (teaching game) - 指導碁
- Shiro, shiroi (White) - 白 (noun), 白い (adjective)
- Shimari (Corner Enclosure) - 締まり
- Shinogi technique of making life within your opponents sphere of influence - 凌ぎ
- Shita-zuke (Hitting under tesuji) - 下ヅケ
- shobute (risky play, rebalancing game, avoiding sure loss) - 勝負手
- Shodan (1-dan) - 初段
- Shuban (Endgame)
- Suberi (slide)
- Tagai sen (alternating Black and White - 互い先
- Takamoku (5-4 Point) - 高目
- Te (Play, move, literally hand {noun}) - 手
- Tennouzan (Pivotal situation, Decisive point) - 天王山
- Tenuki (Playing elsewhere) - 手抜き
- Tesuji (A skillful tactical play) - 手筋
- Torazu Gomoku (Five points without capturing) - 取らず五目
- Torazu Sanmoku (Three points without capturing) - 取らず三目
- Tsuke (Attachment) - 付け
- Tsuke-koshi (Waist cut) - ツケコシ
- Warikomi (Wedge)
- Wariuchi (Splitting move)
- Yoritsuki
- Yose (Endgame) - 寄せ
- Yurui (slack) - ゆるい
Some useful terms for equipment, if you decide to go shopping:
See also
- Basic Japanese for reading go books
- Entering Japanese text
- /Overused and Underused
- Idiom and Metaphor in Go
- Japanese Go Pronunciations
- Japanese Go term help page
-
WWWJDIC
-
Unihan Database
- Chinese Go Terms
- Named Points
Slowman: see also IGS dictionary (open telnet window and type translate <word>, try also: translate hamete, help translate)