Japanese Street Fighter Terms

Translations of various Japanese fighting game terms and phrases into English including the glossary found in Yoga Book Hyper.

Japanese English
足払い – ashibarai Sweep
当て投げ – ate nage Tick throw
安全重ね – anzen kasane Safe jump
裏ガード – ura GAADO See gyaku GAADO
起き攻め – okiseme Setting up an attack on a downed opponent
押し合い判定 – oshiai hantei See sonzai hantei
表ガード – omote GAADO See jun GAADO
開幕 – kaimaku The very beginning of a round
固め投げ – katame nage See ate nage
気絶状態 – kizetsu joutai Dizzy
逆ガード – gyaku GAADO Inputting a block command as though your character were facing the other way (for crossups). Also called ura GAADO, mekuri GAADO.
キャンセル – KYANSERU Cancel
硬直 – kouchoku Recovery (The period during which an attacking character cannot move.)
コマンド – KOMANDO Command (The input used to perform a special or super.)
コマンド系キャラクター Characters that do not have charge moves. Frequently shortened to KOMANDO kei.
順ガード – jun GAADO A ‘regular’ block, when it is necessary to differentiate between this and an ‘ura’ guard.
正面ガード – shoumen GAADO See jun GAADO
スカす – SUKAsu Causing your opponents attacks to whiff. Standing just out of reach of the opponent’s attacks, using invincibility to cause their attacks to whiff, etc.
先行入力 – senkou nyuuryoku Inputting the command for a special with just the joystick in advance.
存在判定 – sonzai hantei 存在判定 – sonzai hantei
対空技 – taikuu waza Anti-air.
溜め – tame Charge
溜め系キャラクター – tame kei KYARUKUTAA Charge character
溜め技 – tame waza Charge move
中段技 – chuudan waza Overhead
通常技 – tsuujou waza Normal
通常技ダウン – tuujou waza DAUN Sweep (Knocking your opponent down with a normal.)
ツブす – TUBUsu To ‘beat’ an opponents attack with one of yours.
転倒 – tentou Sweep (see tuujou waza DAUN)
同時押し – douji oshi Pressing multiple buttons at once. Mainly for double lariat or TAP. (Mainly for double lariat or TAP.)
特殊技 – tokushu waza Command move.
突進技 – tosshin waza Attacks such as Blanka’s ball and E. Honda’s headbutt that fly towards the opponent. (Not sure if this includes boxer’s rush punch
飛び道具 – tobi dougu Projectile.
トリガゴ – TORI KAGO Forcing your opponent into the corner, and trapping them there. Corner trap.
投げ返し – nage kaeshi Throwing an opponent that is trying to throw you. Throw reversal.
投げハメ – nage HAME A throw that can only be escaped with an invincible reversal. Sometimes used for normal tick throws.
2択 – ni taku Setting up a 50/50 guess for your opponent. Typically between a throw or invincible special, or between an overhead or sweep.
ハメ – HAME Attacking where your opponent cannot escape. Typically Zangief going from normal attack -> SPD, or Akuma jab shakunetsu spam.
必殺技 – hissatsu waza Special move.
必殺技ダウン – hissatsu waza DAUN Being knocked down by a special move or special throw. Results in slower wakeup than being knocked down by a normal move (‘tsuujou waza DAUN’)
ヒット確認 – HITTO kakunin Hit confirm.
ヒットストップ – HITTO STOPPU Freeze that occurs for both players when you strike the opponent. Only the struck player stops if the attack is a projectile.
ヒットバック – HITTO BAKKU Pushback.
ピヨる – PIYOru Dizzy.
吹き飛びダウン – fuki tobi DAUN See hisshouwaza DAUN
ぶつかり判定 – butukari hantei See sonzai hantei
フレーム – FUREEMU Frame
待ち – machi Reacting to your opponent’s moves. A play style that depends mainly on this is called 待ちプレイ (machi play)
無敵技 – muteki waza A move with invincibility.
めくりガード – mekuri GAADO See gyaku GAADO
予約入力 – yoyaku nyuuryoku Where you can hold the last directional input of a move before activating it. Chun’s super, E. Honda’s super and oicho.
リバーサル – RIBAASARU Reversal
リバーサル技 – RIBAASARU waza A move used as a reversal
連続技 – renzoku waza Combo
連打キャンセル – renda KYANSERU Renda cancel