Sumo glossary
A practical reference of Japanese sumo terms with plain-English meanings, for beginners and athletes in England. Use it alongside What is sumo and Sumo weight classes.
Last updated: 2026-09-22.
Referee-call wording below follows common tournament usage and the International Sumo Federation competition regulations.
Terms
- Basho
- A sumo tournament. In professional Grand Sumo, six honbasho are held each year in Japan.
- Dohyo
- The sumo ring. In international amateur sumo it is a circle of approximately 4.55 m diameter.
- Fusen-sho
- Win by default when an opponent is absent for a scheduled bout.
- Fusen-pai
- Loss by default for not appearing for a scheduled bout.
- Gunbai
- The gyoji referee's war fan used to signal commands and indicate the winner.
- Gyoji
- The referee inside the ring who starts the bout, calls the action, and announces the winner.
- Henka
- A sidestep at the start of a bout used to avoid an opponent's charge. Considered legal but unsporting in many contexts.
- Heya
- A sumo training stable. In professional sumo, a heya is where wrestlers live and train under a stablemaster.
- Keiko
- Sumo training. Practice sessions at a club or stable.
- Kimarite
- The official winning techniques of sumo, listed by the Japan Sumo Association (e.g. yorikiri, oshidashi, uwatenage).
- Kachi-koshi
- A winning record in a tournament (more wins than losses).
- Make-koshi
- A losing record in a tournament (more losses than wins).
- Mawashi
- The traditional sumo belt worn around the waist and through the legs. Amateur beginners often start in shorts and a T-shirt before using a mawashi.
- Mizu-iri
- A rare break in an unusually long bout before action restarts from set positions.
- Mono-ii
- Ringside judges' conference when a finish is close or disputed.
- Oshidashi
- Common kimarite: frontal push out without gripping the mawashi.
- Rikishi
- A sumo wrestler.
- Shikiri
- The pre-bout preparation phase where rikishi crouch and prepare to charge.
- Shimpan
- Ringside judges who can call for a review or a rematch when the result is unclear.
- Sonkyo
- Traditional crouched posture used by wrestlers before and after bouts.
- Tachi-ai
- The initial charge at the start of a bout when both rikishi launch from their crouched positions.
- Torinaoshi
- Rematch ordered after a mono-ii when judges cannot determine a clear winner.
- Uwatenage
- Common throwing kimarite using an outside (overarm) grip on the mawashi.
- Yokozuna
- Grand champion, the highest rank in professional sumo. Below yokozuna are ozeki, sekiwake, and komusubi (the san'yaku ranks).
- Yorikiri
- A common winning technique: forcing the opponent out of the ring while gripping their mawashi.
- Yusho
- Tournament championship. The rikishi with the best win-loss record at a basho wins the yusho.
Referee calls in tournaments
Each call below shows the Japanese writing and a phonetic guide to saying it. The full order of a bout using these calls is on the procedure for a bout.
- Kamaete! 構えて (pronounced "ka-ma-e-te")
- Take your positions. A gyoji instruction before tachiai.
- Te o tsuite. Matta nashi! 手をついて。待ったなし (pronounced "te oh tsoo-ee-te. maht-tah nah-shee")
- Hands down. No waiting / no false start. Standard pre-start command in IFS rules.
- Hakkeyoi! はっけよい (pronounced "hak-kee-oy")
- Call to initiate or re-energize active engagement.
- Nokotta! 残った (pronounced "noh-kot-tah")
- Call used while wrestlers remain in motion and still in play.
- Madayo, Madayo まだよ、まだよ (pronounced "mah-dah-yoh")
- Not yet. Used to stop an invalid or premature start.
- Matta! 待った (pronounced "maht-tah")
- Wait. A call that halts the bout — typically a false start — so it can be reset or restarted, for example while officials sort something out.
- Hikimasuyo! ひきますよ (pronounced "hee-kee-mah-soo-yoh")
- Get ready. Used to re-set a frozen position and restart a bout, for example after the mawashi has been retied. IFS rulebook wording.
- Shobu atta! 勝負あった (pronounced "shoh-boo aht-tah")
- Match decided; winner has been determined. Also "shobu-ari" (勝負あり).
- Rei! 礼 (pronounced "ray")
- Bow. Used by officials to cue formal bowing.
- Higashi no kachi / Nishi no kachi 東の勝ち / 西の勝ち (pronounced "hee-gah-shee noh kah-chee / nee-shee noh kah-chee")
- East side wins / West side wins during the winner declaration.