Etymology and meaning of ukemi (受け身?) as part of 合気道


I practice 合気道. We do a lot of break falling that we call ukemi. I was led to
believe that it meant safe escape from a technique. However, I started looking
at the Japanese and found I only had part of the answer. I believe that ukemi
can be translated as receiving body (受け身). It is what uke (受け, whoever
receives the technique) does when nage (投げ thrower?) or tori (取り, grabber?)
applies a technique.

Am I correct in my assumptions?

Are my kanji correct?

* * *

Cross posted from **[Martial Arts
SE](https://martialarts.stackexchange.com/questions/2942/etymology-and-
meaning-of-ukemi)**.




Your kanji are correct. [受]{う}け[身]{み}. You can also write it [受]{うけ}[身]{み}.

The general meaning of 受け身, however, is not "receiving body" but "passive."
Thus, the passive voice "it is written by him" (vs. active "he writes").

I am not familiar with your martial art, but I would guess that it means you
take a passive rather than active role in the combat -- receiving the action
of others and responding to it.

* * *

I could imagine this being understood as "safe escape" if there are Buddhist
overtones that imported in seeing actively fighting as being interested. But
it's definitely not a very natural translation.




Your kanji are correct. [受]{う}け[身]{み}. You can also write it [受]{うけ}[身]{み}.

The general meaning of 受け身, however, is not "receiving body" but "passive."
Thus, the passive voice "it is written by him" (vs. active "he writes").

I am not familiar with your martial art, but I would guess that it means you
take a passive rather than active role in the combat -- receiving the action
of others and responding to it.

* * *

I could imagine this being understood as "safe escape" if there are Buddhist
overtones that imported in seeing actively fighting as being interested. But
it's definitely not a very natural translation.

