Does Michi mean Do?

[Please visit our sponsor:]

[mj]

Hi all, could I ask some of our more learned members.

Specifically my thoughts were on O Sensei's saying 'aiki wa ken no michi' .

ie Aikido is the 'way'/'path' of the sword.

I know my question may seem vague (and dumb) but I hope you see what I mean, what are the differences between michi and do, as related to aikido, and specifically to that statement?

I have been considering this for some time, obviously I have been compelled to compare movement, oneness, posture and the myriad connections between sword and aikido...damn, now I have gone and confused myself again!

[Thalib]

"michi" is the kanji for "do" read alone... it's the kun-yomi & the on-yomi of the kanji...

if you can read this font, this is the kanji for "michi" -> “¹

�‡‹C‚ÍŒ•‚Ì“¹

aiki wa ken no michi

sometimes the ‚Ì (no) part could be taken out and it still has the same meaning

�‡‹C‚ÍŒ•“¹

aiki wa kendo

Aiki is Kendo... figure that one out...

Kendo is the way of the sword as in "ken no michi" -> Œ•‚Ì“¹

Aikido is the way of Aiki (I'm not going to translate this part) as ini "aiki no michi" -> �‡‹C‚Ì“¹

[Edward]

I am obviously not one of those more learned members, but I know that one of the off-shoots of aikido by one of Osensei's direct students is called Kinomichi. I feel that do has more spiritual connotation than michi, eventhough the meaning must be quite similar.

[Lyle Bogin]

I have been told the michi(biki) refers to guiding someone, and the same term is used in religious conversation as to "guide" the flock.

[bcole23]

Michi is like path or way. As in, "don't go down that path, you know what lies at the end." They're not talking literally of a path with nice hedges and laurels. Just like in English, path can be taken literally for a path or more figuratively for a 'path'.

So Aikido is the path or way of the sword.

It's better translated by, "As for Aikido, it's the path of the sword."

[mj]

Thank you for the replies.

If I may now ask...is 'Mi' the same as 'body'? ie Irimi, ukemi, hitoe-mi etc?

If so..what is chi? (mi-chi)

[Paul Sanderson-Cimino]

In my limited experience, Japanese seems filled with homonyms, or at least things that are transcribed into English the same way.

[Thalib]

Actually, Johnston-san, michi is only one kanji which is :do:.

[mj]

Ah well.

Looked like I was onto something. Damn.

Just call me Mark, I will call you Iri.

(As in Iri mi. ;) )

Thanks anyway.

[fvhale]

Hi Mark,

Japanese do/michi is one kanji (Chinese character), pronounced dao in Mandarin.

Japanese irimi is two kanji, nyu/iri meaning enter, and shin/mi meaning body.

Japanese ukemi is also two kanji, ju/uke meaning receive, and shin/mi meaning body.

You might find the following dictionary of martial arts terms from various languages, including Japanese, useful: http://pages.prodigy.net/david_wolfe/pmaa/

[mj]

Thanks very much. :)