- Banzuke番付
- The official ranking chart — published three weeks before each basho on thick hand-printed paper in calligraphy. Every promotion and demotion from the previous tournament is reflected here.
- Basho場所
- Tournament — held six times per year in Tokyo (Jan, May, Sep), Osaka (Mar), Nagoya (Jul), and Fukuoka (Nov). Each runs 15 days; top-division wrestlers compete once per day.
- Butsukari-geikoぶつかり稽古
- Charging practice — a junior wrestler charges repeatedly into a senior wrestler who absorbs and deflects, building explosive power and resilience in the charger. Physically brutal; an essential sumo rite of passage.
- Dohyo土俵
- The sacred clay ring — 4.55 meters in diameter, raised on a platform of clay mixed with sand. Stepping outside or touching down with anything other than the soles of the feet ends the bout.
- Dohyo-iri土俵入り
- Ring-entering ceremony — performed by Makuuchi and Yokozuna wrestlers before each day's competition. The Yokozuna version (with tsuna rope and hakama) is one of sumo's most iconic rituals.
- Dosukoiどすこい
- The iconic sumo battle cry — shouted by wrestlers during shiko (stomping warm-ups) and training to build spirit and intimidate opponents. There is no literal translation; it is pure competitive energy.
- Fusenpai不戦敗
- Default loss — suffered by a wrestler whose scheduled opponent withdraws before their bout. The wrestler who shows up wins by fusenkatsu (default victory) without throwing a single hand.
- Gino-sho技能賞
- Technique prize — awarded for consistently superior sumo craft: footwork, timing, grip transitions, and tactical variety. Often goes to wrestlers who win in unexpected or diverse ways.
- Gyoji行司
- The referee — dressed in elaborate ceremonial court costume, they follow the action on the dohyo and call the winner. Their decisions can be overturned by the five shimpan judges surrounding the ring.
- Hana-michi花道
- Flower path — the aisle from the locker room to the dohyo through which wrestlers enter. Higher-ranked wrestlers use the east or west hanamichi depending on their designation for that day's torikumi.
- Harite張り手
- An open-handed slap to the opponent's face, usually at tachi-ai. Legal in sumo. Often used to disrupt the opponent's charge or timing, though overuse can be seen as unsportsmanlike.
- Hatakikomi叩き込み
- Slap down. The defender sidesteps or pulls at the last moment, using the attacker's forward momentum against them. A crowd favorite — and an Oyakata's nightmare when your rikishi is on the receiving end.
- Henka変化
- A sidestep at tachi-ai — the wrestler jumps sideways instead of forward, leaving the charging opponent grasping at air. Legal but controversial; heavily criticised when used by senior wrestlers against lower-ranked opponents.
- Heya部屋
- Stable — the training group a wrestler belongs to from their debut. Wrestlers of the same heya may not face each other in official bouts. The stable master (oyakata) is typically a retired former wrestler.
- Intai引退
- Retirement — the end of a sumo career. Top-division wrestlers typically retire in a danpatsu-shiki ceremony where their topknot is ceremonially cut. Some transition to coaching as toshiyori elders.
- Jun-yusho準優勝
- Runner-up — the wrestler with the second-best record in the tournament. No trophy, but earning jun-yusho consistently is a marker of elite performance and builds the case for promotion.
- Juryo十両
- The second division — the first salaried rank (sekitori). Juryo wrestlers receive a monthly stipend, can wear the topknot and mawashi in matches, and are assigned a personal attendant. The gateway to sumo's professional class.
- Kachikoshi勝ち越し
- Majority of wins — 8 or more victories in a 15-day basho. The minimum for a wrestler to avoid demotion on the next banzuke. Clinching it earns a bonus in Dohyo Dynasty.
- Kadoban角番
- An Ozeki on probation — having posted makekoshi in the previous basho, they must achieve kachikoshi in the next tournament or be demoted to Sekiwake. A tense status closely watched by fans and fantasy managers alike.
- Kanto-sho敢闘賞
- Fighting Spirit prize — awarded to a wrestler who showed exceptional effort and resilience, often with an impressive record from the lower ranks of Makuuchi. The crowd's favourite award.
- Katasukashi肩透かし
- Under shoulder swing down — the wrestler evades inside, hooks under the opponent's armpit, and swings them to the ground. A surprising technique that rewards quick footwork over brute strength.
- Kesho-mawashi化粧廻し
- Ceremonial apron — an ornate silk garment worn over the mawashi during dohyo-iri. Elaborately embroidered and worth tens of thousands of dollars; often gifted by regional sponsors or fans.
- Kinboshi金星
- Gold star — awarded when a Maegashira ranked wrestler defeats a Yokozuna. A landmark upset, and a permanent bonus on a rikishi's salary for life.
- Komusubi小結
- Small Corner — fourth rank. The lowest of the four named sanyaku ranks. Komusubi often face the hardest schedule, drawing top-ranked opponents early in the basho.
- Kotenage小手投げ
- Armlock throw — the wrestler traps the opponent's arm and uses it as a lever to spin them down. Particularly effective against taller opponents or when caught in an awkward grip position.
- Kyujo休場
- Withdrawal from a tournament due to injury or illness. A wrestler who goes kyujo loses all remaining bouts by default. For fantasy managers: this is the reason you never go all-in on one Yokozuna.
- Maegashira前頭
- Rank and file — the bulk of the Makuuchi top division. Numbered M1 through M17, with M1 (just below sanyaku) being the most brutal posting on the banzuke.
- Makekoshi負け越し
- Majority of losses — 8 or more defeats. A wrestler with makekoshi will fall on the next banzuke. For Ozeki, two consecutive makekoshi means demotion to Sekiwake.
- Makuuchi幕内
- The top division — 42 wrestlers in total. Only Makuuchi bouts are televised in full. Being promoted to Makuuchi (sekitori status) means a salary, attendants, and one of the most exclusive clubs in Japanese sport.
- Mawashi廻し
- The thick belt worn by wrestlers in competition. Securing a grip on the opponent's mawashi is central to yotsu-zumo (grappling style). Top-division mawashi are silk; lower divisions use cotton.
- Mono-ii物言い
- Judges' conference — when one or more shimpan raise a hand to stop play and deliberate on a close call. Results in either upholding the gyoji's decision, reversing it, or ordering a rematch (torinaoshi).
- Morozashi諸差し
- Double inside grip — both of the attacker's arms inside the opponent's, gripping the mawashi on both sides. An incredibly powerful position; wrestlers who secure morozashi win the majority of the time.
- Nodowa喉輪
- Throat thrust — a hand planted firmly on the opponent's throat to stop their charge and create separation. A defensive and offensive weapon in both push and grapple styles.
- Okuridashi送り出し
- Push out from behind — the attacker gets to the opponent's back and drives them out. Often the result of a failed henka or a wrestler spinning their opponent around in a scramble.
- Oshi-zumo押し相撲
- Push style — fighting without a belt grip, relying on thrusts, shoves, and slaps. Practitioners are called oshi-zumo specialists. Fast and exciting to watch, though vulnerable to pull-down counters.
- Oyakata親方
- Stable master — a retired wrestler (usually former sekitori) who holds a toshiyori license and runs a sumo stable. Responsible for recruiting, training, and the careers of all wrestlers under their roof.
- Ozeki大関
- Champion — the second-highest rank. The de facto top of the competitive ladder since Yokozuna promotion is so rare. Two consecutive makekoshi means demotion back to Sekiwake.
- Ozeki Run大関取り
- The informal term for a wrestler accumulating the wins required for Ozeki promotion — traditionally 33 wins over three consecutive basho from sanyaku, though the Japan Sumo Association has discretion.
- Sagari下がり
- The stiffened decorative strings that hang from the front of a wrestler's mawashi during competition. Unlike the ceremonial kesho-mawashi, sagari serve no practical purpose — they are pure ritual aesthetics.
- Sansho三賞
- The three special prizes awarded at the end of each basho: Shukun-sho (Outstanding Performance), Kanto-sho (Fighting Spirit), and Gino-sho (Technique). Open to non-champions in Makuuchi.
- Sanyaku三役
- The top three named ranks: Yokozuna, Ozeki, Sekiwake, and Komusubi (collectively). Wrestlers here face each other frequently and are the backbone of any strong fantasy roster.
- Sekiwake関脇
- Junior Champion — third rank. Just below Ozeki, just above Komusubi. The rank from which exceptional performance (10+ wins) can trigger an Ozeki run.
- Shiko四股
- Leg-stomping warm-up exercise — wrestlers raise each leg slowly and stamp it down forcefully, alternating sides. A fundamental training ritual believed to drive evil spirits from the dohyo and build hip flexibility.
- Shimpan審判
- Judges — five former wrestlers seated around the dohyo who monitor for calls that the gyoji may have missed. They can call a mono-ii (conference) to review close decisions and overturn the gyoji's ruling.
- Shitate下手
- Inside grip — a hold on the opponent's mawashi from under their arm. Less powerful than uwate individually, but morozashi (double inside) is among the most dominant positions in sumo.
- Shitatenage下手投げ
- Underarm throw — executed from an inside grip (shitate), rotating the opponent over the thrower's hip. Requires precise timing and core strength to pull off against a resisting opponent.
- Shukun-sho殊勲賞
- Outstanding Performance prize — typically awarded to a wrestler who defeated one or more Yokozuna or Ozeki during the tournament, regardless of their final record. The kinboshi hunter's reward.
- Sukuinage掬い投げ
- Beltless arm throw — the wrestler scoops under the opponent's arm and throws them without using the mawashi. A slippery counter technique that can reverse an apparently losing position.
- Tachi-ai立合い
- The initial charge — both wrestlers launch simultaneously from the shikiri line. The most critical moment of any bout; poor tachi-ai often decides the outcome before the crowd blinks.
- Tawara俵
- The straw rice bales that form the boundary of the dohyo. Packed into the clay ring at a slight angle, creating a subtle lip that experienced wrestlers use to their advantage when being forced to the edge.
- Teppo鉄砲
- Wall-slapping training drill — a wrestler repeatedly strikes a wooden pillar with alternating open palms, mimicking the tsuppari thrusting technique. The sound of teppo echoing through a stable is a staple of sumo mornings.
- Torikumi取組
- The bout schedule — released the evening before each day of the basho. The higher-ranked matches close each day's action, with the final bout (musubi-no-ichiban) between the two most senior wrestlers.
- Torinaoshi取り直し
- Rematch — ordered by the shimpan when both wrestlers touch down simultaneously or the call is too close to determine. Both wrestlers return to the center of the dohyo and restart from scratch.
- Tsukiotoshi突き落とし
- Thrust down — the wrestler slaps or pushes the opponent's upper body sharply downward, driving them to the dohyo surface. Often a sudden counter to a wrestler leaning in too aggressively.
- Tsuna綱
- The thick white rope worn around the waist by a Yokozuna during their dohyo-iri ceremony. Hand-twisted from hemp, it symbolises the Yokozuna's sacred status and the weight of their rank.
- Tsuppari突っ張り
- Rapid two-handed thrusting attack — a hallmark of oshi-zumo (push style). Wrestlers like Takakeisho built their careers on brutal tsuppari barrages that keep opponents off-balance and away from the belt.
- Tsuri-dashi吊り出し
- Lift out — the wrestler hoists the opponent entirely off the ground by the mawashi and carries them over the tawara. Demands extraordinary raw strength; a signature technique of extremely powerful rikishi.
- Uwate上手
- Outside grip — a hold on the back of the opponent's mawashi from outside their arm. Generally considered the stronger belt grip in yotsu-zumo, giving leverage for throws and drives.
- Uwatenage上手投げ
- Overarm throw — the wrestler uses an outside grip (uwate) to swing the opponent down to the clay. One of the most visually spectacular techniques in sumo when executed at speed.
- Yobidashi呼出し
- Caller — the sumo official who announces wrestler names before each bout, maintains the dohyo clay, and beats the drum (taiko) to draw crowds to the venue. A skilled calligrapher and essential part of the ritual atmosphere.
- Yokozuna横綱
- Grand Champion — the highest rank in sumo. Once promoted, a Yokozuna can never be demoted; they are expected to retire when their performance no longer befits the rank. There have been only 73 in history.
- Yorikiri寄り切り
- Force out — the most common winning technique. The attacker secures a belt grip and drives the opponent backward over the tawara straw bales.
- Yotsu-zumo四つ相撲
- Belt-grappling style — fighting with a grip on the mawashi. Slower and more technical than oshi-zumo, but often produces dramatic throws and requires tremendous strength and leverage.
- Yusho優勝
- Tournament championship. The wrestler with the most wins after 15 days (or wins the playoff) hoists the Emperor's Cup. The most coveted prize in sumo.
- Zabuton座布団
- Seat cushion — audience members at the Kokugikan throw these when a Yokozuna loses, despite signs forbidding the practice. A dangerous rain of flying cushions is sumo's most spontaneous crowd celebration.
- Zensho-yusho全勝優勝
- A perfect tournament — 15 wins, zero losses, championship. Extraordinarily rare. Hakuho achieved this 16 times in his career; most rikishi never get close.