Dai?

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[Chikai Aikidoka]

Dear All,

I just noticed that in Moriteru Ueshiba Doshu's 'Best Aikido' books, he uses the word Dai in between the attack name and the technique name. For examples, Shomen uchi sankyo omote is discribed as Shomen uchi Dai sankyo omote.

So my question is what does 'dai' mean? is it some sort of japanese grammar article or adjective or else?

Thanks.

[Peter Goldsbury]

Dear All,

I just noticed that in Moriteru Ueshiba Doshu's 'Best Aikido' books, he uses the word Dai in between the attack name and the technique name. For examples, Shomen uchi sankyo omote is discribed as Shomen uchi Dai sankyo omote.

So my question is what does 'dai' mean? is it some sort of japanese grammar article or adjective or else?

Thanks.

Dai (‘æ) is a counter. It means 'number', as in 'number three'.

[Chikai Aikidoka]

Thank u!

[Jorge Garcia]

Goldsbury Sensei,
What would Dai Sempai mean? Is this a different "Dai"?
Thanks,

[saltlakeaiki]

What would Dai Sempai mean? Is this a different "Dai"?Since Goldsbury Sensei didn't pick this up, I will :D

This 'dai' is different. It means "big" or "great". Whereas in Japan anyone who precedes you in school, company, dojo, etc even by a month, or a year is your sempai, "daisempai" is someone who is far senior to you, someone you might want to show particular respect to by using such a term.

Dave

[Peter Goldsbury]

Goldsbury Sensei,
What would Dai Sempai mean? Is this a different "Dai"?
Thanks,

Sorry, Jorge,

I have not accessed this thread recently, so I did not see your post.

David kindly answered it. The kanji ‘å is the same as for O in O Sensei.

Best wishes,

[Adam Huss]

I also believe "dai" can mean something like "associate to/of" if used after the subject word (in Ramanji at least). Ex. Shihan Dai Does this sound correct to anyone? Not sure, myself. I know the kanji are different for the different meanings. For example, Yoshinkan Aikido usually has two variations of its basic core techniques, dai ichi and dai ni. That verision of 'dai' might be the same kanji as the suspect 'dai' that I originally wrote about (still not sure if its a figment of my imagination). The dai for 'great' (as in dai-to, or dai-tachi...whatever the word is for a big sword) would be a different kanji. I know there are some people on here that have been posting specific kanji...it'd be pretty cool if someone could post the different kanji for each of the two (three?) words for dai.

[raul rodrigo]

The dai for 'great' (as in dai-to, or dai-tachi...whatever the word is for a big sword) would be a different kanji.

Dai-katana, perhaps?

[davidafindlay]

For example, Yoshinkan Aikido usually has two variations of its basic core techniques, dai ichi and dai ni. That verision of 'dai' might be the same kanji as the suspect 'dai' that I originally wrote about (still not sure if its a figment of my imagination)... Yup, IIRC in this case I think its bascially saying "the first (version/variation)", the second (version/variation).

Regards,
Dave Findlay

[Peter Goldsbury]

I know there are some people on here that have been posting specific kanji...it'd be pretty cool if someone could post the different kanji for each of the two (three?) words for dai.

Hello,

It might be cool, but I think it would also be of little value to those who do not read Japanese.

In some cases DAI can also be read as TAI. There are 20 different characters that can be read as TAI and 8 that can be read as DAI. Some are the same and some are different and this is before we get to all the compounds, which take up 30 pages in the dictionary I have to hand (the Daijirin, pp. 1428-1458).

Best wishes,

[Josh Reyer]

I also believe "dai" can mean something like "associate to/of" if used after the subject word (in Ramanji at least). Ex. Shihan Dai Does this sound correct to anyone? Not sure, myself. I know the kanji are different for the different meanings. For example, Yoshinkan Aikido usually has two variations of its basic core techniques, dai ichi and dai ni. That verision of 'dai' might be the same kanji as the suspect 'dai' that I originally wrote about (still not sure if its a figment of my imagination). The dai for 'great' (as in dai-to, or dai-tachi...whatever the word is for a big sword) would be a different kanji. I know there are some people on here that have been posting specific kanji...it'd be pretty cool if someone could post the different kanji for each of the two (three?) words for dai.

Dai Ikkyou 第一教 dai ik- kyou
Dai Sempai 大先輩 dai sen hai
Shihan-dai 師範代 shi han dai

Ordinal number counter: 第
"Great, big" 大
"representative" 代