Glossary
Common terms used across the site.
Common terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| basho | A professional sumo tournament. Grand tournaments last 15 days. |
| rikishi | A sumo wrestler. |
| banzuke | The official ranking sheet for a tournament. |
| makuuchi | The top division in professional sumo. |
| juryo | The second-highest professional sumo division. |
| kimarite | The official winning technique used to decide a bout. |
| yusho | A tournament championship. |
| sansho | A special prize awarded in the top division for outstanding, fighting, or technique performance. |
| kanto-sho | Fighting Spirit Prize, one of the special prizes. |
| gino-sho | Technique Prize, one of the special prizes. |
| shukun-sho | Outstanding Performance Prize, one of the special prizes. |
| kachi-koshi | A winning record, usually 8 or more wins in a 15-day tournament. |
| make-koshi | A losing record, usually 7 or fewer wins in a 15-day tournament. |
| heya | A sumo stable: the training home/team a rikishi belongs to. |
| yokozuna | The highest rank in sumo. |
| ozeki | The second-highest rank in sumo. |
| sekiwake | The third-highest rank in sumo. |
| komusubi | The fourth-highest rank in sumo. |
| maegashira | Rank-and-file wrestlers in the top division. |
| torikumi | The day’s scheduled bouts. |
| dohyo | The circular ring where a sumo match takes place. |
| mawashi | The heavy silk belt worn by a rikishi during practice and competition. |
| tachi-ai | The initial charge at the start of a sumo match. |
| gyoji | The referee inside the ring who controls the match and points to the winner. |
| shimpan | Ringside judges who can review or overrule the referee's call. |
| shinto | Japan's indigenous religion, which strongly shaped sumo ritual and ceremony. |
| kami | Spirits or deities honored in Shinto practice. |
| hakkeyoi | A referee's call during a bout, often understood as an encouragement to keep fighting with spirit. |
