Block -- A technique to halt or defect an incoming strike. Any limb can be used for blocking, but the arm is used the most.

Chi -- A Chinese term that means "life energy." Chi is matter, the life that circulates within the human body. Martial artists perform exercises to cultivate and strenghten their Chi.

Dojo -- A Japanese word meaning "place of the way." A dojo is a Japanese martial arts training hall.

Elements -- In Chinese cosmology the fundamental elements of the universe are wood, fire, earth, water, and metal. In Western cosmology the elements are fire, water, air and earth.

Fighting art -- A fighting discipline with many different aims, including promotion of health, long life, physical fitness, etc.

Ghi -- The apparel of martial arts, a light robe with pants that is secured with a belt. The belt represents the martial artist's rank or ability.

Go -- A Japanese term meaning "hard" or "rigid."

Hard art-- A martial art that has two main principles: physical reactions precede mental reactions, and the opponent's force is met with equal and opposite force.

Ju -- A Japanese term meaning "soft" or "flexible" and used as prefixes for words like judo and ju-jitsu.

Judo -- A Japanese soft art. The term means "the way of flexibility." The combat was created toward the end of the 19th century.

Karate -- The "art of the empty hand" was introduced to Japan in 1922.

Kick -- A strike delivered to an opponent with the feet. Different kinds of kicks are used in marial arts, such as high, medium and low kicks aimed at the front, side and rear of the opponent.

Lock -- A maneuver in which force is applied to an opponent's body in order to immobilize all or part of it.

Martial art -- A fighting discipline designed to promote combat skill.

Ninja -- A body of medieval Japanese spy-assassins. No authentic ninja existis today.

Punch -- Striking with the clenched fist so that the knuckles contact the opponent. Like the kicks in martial arts, punches can be high, medium, or low depending on the height of the target.

Soft art -- A martial art that has two main principles: the mind dictates the action and the opponent's own force is used to defeat him or her.

Tae Kwon Do -- The hard martial art of Korea that incorporates elements from both Chinese and Japanese traditions.

Technique -- In martial arts, a method of attack and defense.

Te-- A Japanese term meaning "hand," and the original name for the unarmed art later called kara-te.

Vital points -- Certain spots on the body which, when struck in a certain way, will cause intense pain, paralysis, or even death. There are thought to be more than 100 of these points on the body and they mark the junctions of nerves, tendons and blood vessels.

Yang -- A Chinese term meaning "light, sunshine." In Chinese cosmology yang and its complementaty opposite, yin, are fundamental principles of the universe.

Yin --  A Chinese term meaning "shade." It is the complementary opposite of yang.

Zen --  The Japanese name for the Dhyana or meditative school of Buddhism. Zen emphasizes the cultivation of intuitiona and the achievement of satori. This is a state of oneness with nature and the universe, achieved through meditation.

Bibliography:

Donohue, John J. -- Warrior Dreams, The Martial Arts and the American Imagination.
Payne, Peter -- Martial Arts: The Spiritual Dimension.
Reid, Richard and Michael Croucher -- The Fighting Arts