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Old 09-15-2013, 01:34 PM   #4
ChrisHein
 
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Dojo: Aikido of Fresno
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Re: Japanese, Aikido word- for leading?

Thanks for your responses!

Quote:
Peter A Goldsbury wrote: View Post
Suikomu is written as 吸い込む and the Chinese character is the second character of the compound word kokyuu 呼吸, meaning, breath. The primary meaning is to inhale, suck in, swallow up, the third meaning leading to a metaphor of putting a person in a position such that he/she has no choice but to do what you want him/her to do.

Best wishes,
I'm not trying to go off topic here, but you really peaked my curiosity. I often hear the term Kokyu (呼吸) meaning breath, as more a metaphor for extension. Like the breath extending out of the body as a metaphor for extension of the body as a whole. This made sense to me, as techniques we see like kokyu ho and kokyu nage involve lot's of physical extension. However When breaking the word kokyu apart it seems the Kanji are 呼-request 吸-absorption. This would seem like the word "kokyu" would have more to do with taking in, than extending out.

Do you find this to be the case in the common usage of the word? Is the martial usage different than the common usage? Does the word have a true "in and yo" quality where it can mean both at the same time, like breathing?

Not speaking Japanese, when I hear the word "Kokyu" I first think of extension of breath and second of the inhalation of breath. But the word itself seems to be more directed towards inhalation. I'm very curious!

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