Here is a
glossary of common
Japanese terms used in the game of
Go. In Chinese the game is called
Wei Qi (
Wei Ch'i) (literally:"game of encirclement")
Aji (taste):
Latent
threats or
possibilities existing in a situation.
Ajikeshi (aji erasure):
A play which removes aji.
Aji ga warui (bad aji):
A position which leaves aji for the opponent to use.
Aki-san-kaku (empty triangle):
The shape of the three Black stones, the point 'a' being vacant. Generally bad shape, see guzumi.
Amarigatachi:
A shape where a player may feel he has made good moves, when in fact he has accomplished little.
Ate (Atari):
An immediate threat to capture; a single liberty remains. A verbal warning is often issued when placing an opponent into ate.
Atekomi (aim inside):
Uncertain, but seems related to a peeping move.
Atsumi (thickness):
Strong formation of stones facing the center or facing along a side.
Basami: Pincer.
-
ikken basami: 1-step pincer (on 3rd line); taka-basami (4th line)
- niken basami: 2-step pincer (on 3rd line) " "
- sangen basami: 3-step pincer (on 3rd line) " "
Bata-bata:
See oiotoshi.
-bane, -basami, -biraki:
See hane, hasami, hiraki.
Boshi (hat):
A capping move.
Botsugi:
A connection which forms a wall of three stones.
Byo-yomi:
Extra count-down time after regular clock time has elapsed.
Chosei:
Eternal life; a rare position involving repetitive capture.
Chubansen:
The middle game.
Chu oshi gatchi:
Early victory by a large margin.
Daidaigeima (very large knight's move):
Four across and one vertically (or vice versa).
Dame (useless):
A neutral point, territory for neither; a liberty.
Damezumari:
Shortage of liberties.
Dan:
Advanced grade.
Dango (dumpling shape):
A solid mass of stones; a very inefficient shape. The Whites stones show this.
De (go between):
A move which pushes between two enemy stones.
Degiri:
A sequence of two moves which push and cut.
Fukure:
Swell outward.
Furikawari:
Exchange (of territories).
Fuseki:
The opening moves of the game where influence and territory outlines are formed. (literally: 'spread out stones')
Geta (clog, like the shoe):
A method of capturing a enemy stone; a net trap. The shape of the stones resembles a wooden clog.
Gote:
Defensive play, loss of initiative. (Literally: 'lower hand')
Gote no sente:
Gote move with sente potential.
Guru guru mawashi:
"spinning around (into dango)". A series of attacks leading to a loose ladder and capture.
Guzumi:
A good empty triangle.
Hai:
Crawl.
Hamari:
Fall into a trap.
Hamete:
A trap.
Hana-tsuke:
Nose attatchment.
Hane:
A diagonal move played in contact with an enemy stone.
-
Hane-dashi: Outer hane.
- Hane-kaeshi: Counter-hane.
- Hane-komi: Hane between two stones.
- Hane-tsuki: Belly attack.
- Shita-hane: Hane underneath.
Hanami ko (flower-viewing ko):
Ko where one player stands to lose a lot, but the other only a tiny amount. See ko.
Harazuke:
Belly attack.
Hasami (pincer play):
A play that attacks by preventing the opponent's extension down either side. (see Basami).
Hasami-tsuke:
Pincer attatchment.
Hazama:
Balance point.
Hazama-tobi:
One point diagonal jump.
Hiki:
Draw back.
Hikkuri-kaeshi:
Self-reversing sequence.
Hiraki:
3rd or 4th line extension.
Honte:
The proper move.
Horikomi (throw-in):
A single stone played as a sacrifice.
Hoshi (star point):
4-4 point.
Ichigo-masu:
Carpenter's square.
Igo:
An alternative name for Go.
Ikken-tobi:
One point extension.
Insei:
Student professional.
Ippoji:
One large area.
Ishi-no-shita:
Under the stones; a tesuji.
Ishi:
Stone.
Ji Dori Go:
Derisive term for 'ground-taking go'.
Jigo:
Drawn game (by equal territory).
Jingasa:
Double empty triangle (4 in a "T").
Joseki (established stones):
Known sequences of moves near the corner which result in near-equal positions for white and black.
Jun Kan Ko:
A very rare position involving repetitive capture.
Kado:
Angle.
Kageme:
False eye.
Kakae:
Grip.
Kakari (approach):
A move that attacks a single enemy corner stone. Prevented by shimari.
Karami:
Splitting.
Kata-sente:
One-sided sente.
Katatsuki (shoulder hit):
A play on a diagonal of the opponent's stone.
Katatsugi:
A solid connection.
Kake:
Press down.
Kaketsugi (hanging connection):
A open connection. An example is three stones surrounding an empty point. There is promise for forming an eye shape, but it can be attacked.
Katachi:
The shape of the stones.
-
Sabaki: Quick development, light shape.
- Karui: Single move basic to formation of flexible shape.
- Omoi: Heavy, clumped shape.
Keima:
Knight's move extension.
Keima-tsugi:
Knight's move connection.
Keima-watari:
Connection at edge of board by keima.
Keshi:
Erasure.
Kikashi:
A forcing move, usually made outside the main flow of play. Often answered, then ignored; to be used later in the game.
Kiri:
Cut. Like a sword cut.
Kiri-chigae:
Cross-cut.
Kiri-nobi:
Cut then extend.
Ko:
Repetitive capture. (Literally: 'eternity')
Ko threat:
Intervening move (that one hopes will force a reply) before a ko can be recaptured.
-komi:
To go into.
Komi:
Score adjustment usually penalizing black for playing first. Often 5.5 points.
Komoku (small point):
3-4 point.
Korigatachi (frozen shape):
Inefficient or ugly shape.
Kosumi:
A diagonal play next to one's own stone.
Kosumi-tsuke:
A kosumi which is also a tsuke.
Kyu:
Learner grade.
Magari (turn):
A play which turns a group, forming a corner.
Mane Go:
Mirror go. White playing symmetrically opposite black.
Mannen Ko (10,000 year ko):
A special formation where whoever starts the attack must find the first ko-threat.
Me:
Eye or point.
Me ari me nashi:
A semeai in which one player has one eye.
Miai:
Two points which accomplish the same result; if deprived of one, the other must be played.
Mochi-komi:
Botched invasion.
Modori:
Fall back.
Moku:
Same as me.
Mokuhazushi (point-detatched):
3-5 point.
Motare:
Roundabout attack.
Moyo:
Large potential territory.
Mukai-komoku:
Symmetrically opposite komoku played in fuseki.
Mushobu:
Literally "no-win-loss". Abandoned game (due to triple ko or similar).
Nadare:
Avalanche joseki.
Naka-de:
Central placement.
Nakade:
Unsettled eye shape.
Narabi:
Adjacent extension from a non-contact point.
Nidan bane (double hane):
Two sucessive hane plays by one player.
Nidan osae (double osae):
Two sucessive blocks by one player.
Nigiri:
Equivalent of coin-toss to decide who starts. One grabs a handful of stones; the other guesses odd or even.
Ni ren sei:
Fuseki with two corner star points on one side of the board.
Nobi (Stretch):
An extension away from an opponent's tsuke, cross-cut, etc.
Nobi-komi:
Extend into the enemy's territory.
Nozoki:
A peeping move which threatens to cut.
Nuki:
Capture.
Nurui:
Lukewarm.
Oba:
Large fuseki point.
Ogeima (large knight's move):
Three across and one vertically (or vice versa).
Oiotoshi:
A method of capture where stones are sacrificed to destroy the enemy's eye shape.
Oki:
Placement. Playing on a vital spot (to kill eyes).
Onadare:
Large avalanche joseki.
Osae:
A blocking move which prevents extension along a line.
Oshi:
Push.
Oshi-tsubushi:
Squashing move.
Oyose:
Large end-game plays.
Ozaru:
Monkey jump.
Pintsugi:
Connect between.
Ponnuki:
The shape of four stones after capturing one stone.
Ryo:
Double.
Sabaki:
Light play; disposable stones.
Sagari:
To descend straight toward the edge of the board.
Sanba-garasu:
'Three crows'. 1. Three stones in a diagonal line. For example a corner enclosure by 5-3, 4-4, 3-5 points. 2. A group of three top players.
Sangen:
Three point interval.
San ren sei:
Fuseki with three star points on one side of the board.
San-san:
3-3 point.
Saru-suberi:
Monkey jump.
Sashikomi:
Insert.
Sei moku (Star points):
Handicap points.
Seki:
A situation where neither player may place the other in ate without placing himself in ate. Stalemate, with no territory awarded.
Seki-to (stone tower):
Sacrifice of two stones at edge of board.
Semeai:
Race to capture.
Sente:
Threat forcing direct response, creates initiative. The right to choose where to play next. Opposite to gote. (Literally: 'first/leading move'.)
Shibori:
Squeeze play.
Shicho:
Ladder play.
Shicho-atari:
Ladder breaker. A stone played in the path of a potential shicho, threatening to make it fail.
Shimari (corner enclosure):
A two-stone corner formation. May not secure the corner, but attacker is at a disadvantage. Opposite of kakari.
-
Kogeima shimari (small knight's enclosure): The 3-4 and 5-3 points.
- Ikken shimari (one-point enclosure): The 3-4 and 5-4 points.
- Ogiema shimari (large knight's enclosure): The 3-4 and 6-3 points.
Shin fuseki:
A revolutionary 1930's strategy. Now blended with traditional strategy to form the modern style.
Shinogi:
Eye forming sequence (when under attack).
Shita-hane:
Hane underneath.
Shita-tsuke:
Attatch underneath.
Soto:
Outwards.
Suberi:
Sliding under.
Suji:
Style; skillfulness.
Susoaki:
Open skirt.
Sute ishi:
Sacrifice stone.
Tachi:
Extension adjacent to centre.
Taisha:
A joseki arising from an ignored low kakari to 4-3 point.
Takamoku (high point):
4-5 point.
Take-fu:
Bamboo joint.
Tasuki fuseki:
Black playing the same in opposite corners.
Tedomari:
The very last move (in a certain sequence of 'good moves').
Ten gen:
The centre point of the board.
Tenuki:
Ignoring opponent's last move to play elsewhere.
Te okure:
Wasted move.
Tesuji (strong move):
The best play in a local position; skillful tactical move.
Tetchu (iron pillar):
Two stones placed in line vertically and near the edge.
Tewari diagram:
Analysing by removing irrelevant stones.
Tobi:
Jump.
-
Tobi-dashi: Jump out.
- Tobi-komi: Jump into enemy space.
- Tobi-magari: Jump at right angle.
- Tobi-tsuke: Jumping attatchment.
Torazu San Moku:
A very rare position in the corner, where either side may capture first, but would lose points to do so.
Tsugi:
Connection.
Tsuke:
Attatch. A play made in contact with an enemy stone, but not in contact with any friendly stones.
-
Tsuke-atari: Bang against (head-on).
- Tsuke-giri: Attatch then cut.
- Tsuke-kaeshi: Counter-attatch.
- Tsuke-koshi: Attatch at keima waist.
- Tsuke-nobi: Attatch and extend (handicap joseki).
Tsume:
Extension preventing an enemy extension.
Tsume-go:
Life and death problems.
Tsuppari:
Slap against (sideways).
Uchi:
Inwards.
Uchikaki:
Sacrifice on first line to make an eye false.
Uchikomi:
Invading enemy territory.
Uttegaeshi:
Snap-back.
Warikomi:
Wedge between two stones.
Wariuchi:
A wedging move which has room for expansion in either direction.
Watari:
To connect underneath.
Yose:
End game.
Yose-ko:
A ko of little value.
Yosu miru:
Probe; to see opponent's response. May be sacrificed.
Yurumi:
Loose.
Zoku-suji:
False or vulgar style.