Have you ever said yourself or heard someone else say, "I wish I could understand what they were saying," or "I'd enjoy it more if I knew what they were talking about?" If you are reading this page, I'd say the chances that you have are incredibly high. There is certainly a lot of validity to that line of thinking. Even if they aren't saying anything worth hearing, which is often the case with American wrestling, it's nice to at least know that it's more nonsensical babble. Unfortunately, I can't translate the tapes or web pages for you, or even understand much of what they are saying/writing myself. However, I can try to help you understand more of what is going on by passing along the Japanese words I've come across on tapes, web pages, and in magazines that I do understand.

abunai - dangerous/look out!
aka - red
akai - red
akiramerarenai - don't give up
akiresuken - Achilles' tendon
akusen - hard fought battle
akusen-kuto - fight desperately
ao - blue
aoi - blue
arigatoo (gozaimasu) - thank you
ashi - foot/leg
ashigakari - foothold
ashikubi - ankle
ashinoyubi - toe
atama - head
atsui - hot
bacchi - the curse that falls on one for doing bad things
bakaha - explosion/blast/to blow up
bakuhatsu - explosion
bijo - beautiful woman
boken - adventure
budokan - martial arts hall/martial arts building
bunka - culture/cultural
chidaruma - a bloody pulp
chiisai - small
cho - hit/strike
chogei - recorded earlier
choman'in - crowded beyond capacity
chosen - challenge/beginning of a match
chosenjo - written challenge
chosensha - challenger
choritsu - established by a town
chusen - lottery
da - hit/strike
dai - big
daio - great king
dame - no good/don't do it/stop it!
dangan - bullet/shot/shell
denryu - electric current
densetsu - legend
dojo - martial arts gymnasium
donzoku - very bottom
eizo - image/reflection
fu - prefecture
fujya - windmill
fukkatsu - revival
fukkisen - comeback match/return match
fukumen - mask
fukushi - welfare
funsen - hard fighting
furitsu - run by an urban prefecture
fusha - windmill
futari - two people/pair
futsuki - comeback
fuujin - wind god
gabyo - thumbtack
gaijin - foreigner
gakokojin - foreigner (nicer than gaijin)
gakusee - student
ganbarimasu - I'll do my best
ganbatte kudasai - please do (literally give me) your best
ganbette ne! - do your best, eh!
ganmen - face
ganso - originator/founder/pioneer/inventor
garame - entangle/entanglement
gatame - hold
gedo - heretic
geigeki - intercept and attack
gekkan - published monthly
geikoto - fluorescent light bulb/fluorescent lamp
gekisen - fierce fighting/hard fought contest
gekito - fierce battle
gekitotsu - clash/crash into
genryu - source/origin
ginou - technical skill
go - five
gokuaku - heinous
gonna - confusion/mess/mix
gumi - team
gurai - about/approximately
gyaku - reverse
ha - tooth
hachi - eight
hadaka - naked
hai - cup
haisen - lost match/defeat
haisha - loser
hakaba - cemetary/graveyard
hakunetsusen - intense fighting/thrilling match
hana - nose
hara - belly/stomach
hao - cheek
hataage - launching a business
heavykyu - heavyweight
henkei - variation/modified
hensoku - irregular/irregularity
hidari - left
hido - unjust
hifu - skin
hiji - elbow
hijoni - awfully/terribly
hinotama - fireball
hiza - knee
hoketsu - filling a vacancy
hoketsusen - alternate match
hone - bone
housouseki - commentary table
ichiban - number 1
ikkai - first round/one time/an inning
ikkaisen - first round match
ikon - grudge
ima ni - future
ime - dog
inken - interview
intai - retirement
ippai- fully
ippatsu - the firing of a cannon (or explosion)
ippon - one
ippon shobu guraimasu - one fall
ishu - different kind
issen - first battle
isshuki - first anniversary of death
itshoni - together/with
jado - evil/evil curse
jiai - match
jido - automatic
jikan museigen - unlimited time
jiki - next term/next period/next
jikihitsu - in one's own handwriting
jikken - actually see/witness
jikken - experiment
jimusho - office
joshi - lady
joshi puroresu - lady's pro wrestling
jotei - empress
judoka - judo player
junkessho - semifinal(s)
jyougai - outside of ring
jyougai rantou - pandemonium outside of ring!
jyuu - ten
kachiikusa - victorious battle/victory
kai - round
kaigeinatsu - summer
kaikan - assembly hall
kaijin - mysterious person (mystery man)
kaijo - meeting place
kaiju - monster
kaimei - change one's name
kaisen - outbreak of war
kaiten - revolve/revolution/rotation/circular turn
kakato - heel
kakumei - revolution
kakudo - angle (as in 90 degrees)
kakuto - fist fight
kakutogi - technically fist fight match, but has evolved to mean martial arts
kamen - mask/disguise
kanoji - she/girlfriend/lover
kansen - watch a match
kao - face
karada - body
kata - shoulder
kecchaku - conclusion/end/settlement/decision
ken - prefecture/prefectural
kenka - fight/dispute
kenko - health
kenritsu - prefecture/prefectural
kessen - decisive battle/playoff
kesshosen - final
kettei - decision/conclusion
ketteileaguesen - conclusion (of) league match
kiken - abstain from voting
kinen - memorial/commemoration/remembrance
kinenkan - memorial hall
kinniku - muscle
kinrosha - worker
ko - strangle
kodo - auditorium
koen - park
kofun - excitement/stimulation/agitation/arousal
kogane - gold
kogaido - town hall
kogeki - attack/strick/offensive
kohai - someone who is your junior or younger (wo)man
kokusai - international
konsen - melee/free for all fight
koro - meritorious service
kosei - public welfare
koshi - waist/hips
koshikisen - league match (used to place importance on the standings i.e. the pennant race in baseball)
kosunkugi - spike/long nail
kotoshi - year
ku - ward
kubi - neck
kuchi - mouth
kuchibiri - lip
kuroi - black
kushizashi - skewering
kusen - hard fought
kuto - bitter struggle
kyogijo - sports arena/stadium
kyojin - giant
kyujo - baseball stadium
kyuu - nine
kyuuseigun - Saviour/Messiah
machi - town/street/road
makai - hell
make - loss
man'in - full to capacity/sellout
mat sugu - directly/straightly
me - eye
megami - goddess
meibutsu - specialty
men - face/mask
midori - green
migi - right
mikan - incomplete/unfinished
mimi - ear
min - public
mirai - future
mitei - undecided/pending
mo ichido - do it again/one more time
mo itkai - one more time
moduku - virulent poison
modukutai - virulent poison squad
mokushiroku - The Apocalypse
monosugoi shuketsu - bleeding profusely
mune - chest
muri - impossible/excessive/unreasonable
musabetsu kyu - open weight division
na (as in uranage) - throw (a form of nageru)
nage - throw (a form of nageru)
nageru - throw
nagesuteru - to throw away
nana - seven
nansen - hard fighting
naruhodo - hmm
nen - year
nenbutsu - Buddhist prayer
nendo - year/fiscal year/school year/term
nenkan - period of a year
nessen - fierce fighting/close contest
ni - two
ni-dai - #2/the second generation
nihongo - Japanese language
nikai - second/second round/twice
nikaisen - second round match
nintei - acknowledge/acknowledgement/approval
nippon/nihon - Japan
nisshi - diary
nodo - throat
norainu - stray dog
noten - forehead/crown of the head
nyan nyan - the crying noise made by a cat (equivalent of meow)
nyujo - enter
obacchi - old motherly grandmother
okonawareru - be held
okunai - indoor
onaka - belly
onna - female
onryu - apparition/revengeful ghost
ookii - big
osen - accept a challenge/fight back
oshiri - butt
otoko - male?man
otokomae - handsome/good looks
otto - oh no!
oza - the throne/the crown
pasen - melee
puroresu - pro wrestling
rakka - fall/descend/drop
renkei - teamwork
renpatsu - firing in rapid succession
rensen - series of battles
roku - six
ryo - two/both
ryokuchi - green tract of land
ryukesen - a bloody match
ryusei - meteor/falling star
saikai - lowest rank
saikyo - strongest
saishiki - official/formality
saiten - festival
saiyo - adopt/employ/use
san - three
san-dai - #3/the third generation
sanga - participation
sankaku - triangle/triangular
sankan - triple crown
saraba - farewell
sasageru - to dedicate/to devote
sashujin - homicide/murder
sasorigatame - scorpion deathlock/sharpshooter
sayonara - goodbye
seiki - century
seikigun - regular army
seisen - rematch
seishonen - youth
seishun - youth/adolescent
seitan - birth
sekai - world
sekaiichi - best in the world
sen - match/war
senaka - back
sengen - declaration/statement
senkai - turning/revolving/circling/rotation
senko - selection/screening
sengen - announcement/declaration/proclamation
senpai - someone who is your senior or elder (can be loosely translated as mentor)
sensee - teacher
senshi - warrior/soldier/combatant
senshu - sports player
senshuken - championship title
setsujokusen - return match
shacho - president/manager
shi - city
Shiai - match
shibu - branch/ subdivision
shichikaiki - the seventh anniversary of a death
shijo - in history/historical
shiki - style
shin - new
shinbun - newspaper
shinjin - new face/newcomer
shinjinou - rookie of the year
shinku - crimson
shinsedai - new generation
shinshun - the New Year/New Year's
shinshutssha - advance/advance to somewhere high
shiroi - white
shito - life and death struggle
sho - win
sho - prize/award
shoda - palm blow/palm strike
shodai - the first generation
shogeki - shock/crash/impact/ballistic
shomosen - war of attrition
shori - victory
shosen - beginning of a match
shoshin - heartbreak
shotaiketsu - first showdown/first confrontation
shotei - (hit with the) bottom of the palm of your hand
shu - week/weekly
shubansen - final battle
shukan - (published) weekly
shuketsu - bleeding
shukun - meritorious deeds
shunen - anniversary
shuryu - leader
shusen - drinking bout
suisha - water wheel
shusshinchi - place of birth
sodatsu - contest for/struggle for
sogo - comprehensive
sugao - face without makeup
sugoi (as adverb-sugoku) - extremely/tremendously/very
sugoi (as adjective) - awesome/incredible
suichoku - vertical/perpendicular
suiei - swimming
suihei - horizontal
tabi - travel/trip/journey
tadakai - struggle/fight/battle
tadon - another group (promotion)
tai (as in taigatame) - body
tai (as in Guren-tai) - squad/band
tai (as in say Misawa tai Kawada) - versus
Taiheiyo - The Pacific Ocean/Pacific Coast
taiiku - physical education/athletic(s)
taiikukan - gymnasium
taiketsu - confrontation/showdown
taiko - oppose
taisaku - epic/masterpiece
taisen - competition
taisho - award/big prize
taisho - leader/full general/admiral
tamashii - soul/spirit
tataki - strike
tengoku - heaven
tenmai - destiny/fate
tetsubo - horizontal bar (in gymnastics)
tobi - flying
tobimawa - jump about
Tohuko - North-East
tokon - fighting spirit
tokubetsu - special/extraordinary
tokusen - urge on to fight bravely
tokusetsu - specially installed/specially established
tokushu - special
Tokyo-to - The Metropolis of Tokyo
toso - struggle/conflict
tsuito - memorial
tsune - nail
uchu - space/cosmos/universe
uchujin - space alien
ude - arm
undo - sports/exercise/movement
undoka - athlete/sportsman
ura - reverse side/back/opposite/rear
uraken - back hand/fist
waisha - the defeated/vanquished/loser
wakarimasu - I understand/I see
wakudatsu - deprivation/divestiture
welterkyu - welterweight
Yamato - ancient Japan
Yamato nadeshiko - women of Japan
yappari/yahari - I guess.../after all is said and done
yekubi - wrist
yokoshiogatame - lateral press/side mount
yon - four
yon-dai - #4/the fourth generation
yubi - finger
yuki - snow
yume - dream
yushoketteisen - championship final
yushosha - winner/champion/title-holder
yushohai - championship cup
yushosen - championship (match)
yuushitessen - barbed wire
zasshi - magazine
zen - all
zenmen - all out
zenmensenso - all out war
zennihon - all Japan
zenpo - forward/frontward/front
zensen - put up a good fight
zokango - special edition number

MOVES

Note: these are not actual translations, this is just the Japanese name of the move and the English name of the move. I know some of these are English translations of English words, but I want to clear up any confusion of how they are using these words.

4 no jigatame - figure four leg lock

akiresukengatame - Achilles' tendon hold

brainbuster - For some unknown reason the Japanese think you suffer brain damage from a vertical suplex even though you are clearly being dropped on your back.

diving (insert name of move) - The wrestler performing the move stands on the top rope and jumps out at their opponent, who is either down in the ring or standing up, delivering a headbutt, body press, enzui knee, etc. This has often been called flying or (insert name of move) off the top rope in the US. There is no such thing as a diving missile kick, I assume because you are jumping off feet first.

ebigatame - Any form of a cover where a wrestler holds both of their opponents legs. For example, a powerbomb where the wrestler goes for the cover finishes in an ebigatame.

enzui (insert name of move) - This means the move is down to the back of the head. Thus, an enzui lariat is a lariat to the back of the head, an enzui knee is a knee to the back of the head, and an enzuigiri is a kick to the back of the head.

geigeki dropkick - Cutting your opponent's flying move off by dropkicking them in midair

gyakuebigatame - boston crab

gyakukataebigatame - 1/2 crab

gyaku suihei chop - This matchs reverse horizontal chop. These are the knife edge chops used by Rikidozan, Genichiru Tenryu, etc.

haragatame - stomach hold

hizajujigatame - kneebar. This has also been called a cross knee scissors.

ipponzeoi - a judo throw where your opponent is behind you with their stomach to your back and you throw them over your shoulder by pulling their arm in a whipping motion. There is also a gyaku (reverse) ipponzeio that Sasaki does, which is the same thing except it starts off with both men facing opposite directions (ie back to back).

kataebigatame - any form of a cover where one leg is hooked

kaitenebigatame - sunset flip

kenka kick - running front kick to the face. The same as Chono's Yakuza kick.

manjigatame - an abdominal stretch with one leg over the opponents head. In other words, an octopus.

nadare shiki no (insert name of move) - This is when both wrestlers are on the turnbuckle (typically the person doing the move is standing on the middle rope and the person having the move done to them is sitting on the top turnbuckle) and one does a move like a Frankensteiner, suplex, brainbuster, etc. where both people are sent flying through the air until they crash into the canvas, apron, or arena floor. So a nadare shiki no Frankensteiner is the same as what we call a Frankensteiner off the top and a nadare shiki no brainbuster (since the Japanese call a verticle suplex a brainbuster) is the same as what we call a superplex. Technically, nadare shiki no means an avalanche style move, I assume because the Japanese think the way the wrestlers come crashing down from a high point reminds them of an avalanche (a real avalanche, not a Tenta move).

nagesuteru German suplex - Throw away German suplex. This is the Vader move that's sometimes called a wheelbarrel suplex where he picks his opponent up around the waist so he's facing the mat and hs his legs in between Vader's waist. Then he suplexes him backwards (but not into a bridge or it would be a German suplex hold).

nenbutsu powerbomb - Jinsei Shinzaki's Buddhist prayer powerbomb

nodowa otoshi - choke slam

rakudagatame - camel clutch

rolling (insert name of move) - This depends on what type of move it is .When a wrestler holds onto their opponent and does the same move two or more times in a row, for example a German suplex, doublearm suplex, etc. they call it rolling. I assume it's called rolling because you have to roll yourself and your opponent to get back to your feet so you can do the move again. This can also be called locomotion, so a rolling German suplex and a locomotion German suplex are exactly the same move. Many moves where the wrestler performing them does a 360 degree rotation are also called rolling moves. It can be a somersault like on a rolling guillotine leg drop or a spin like on a rolling savate.

sankakujime - triangle choke. Basically it's a headscissors where one of the opponents arms is also trapped inside the lock.

sasorigatame - scorpion deathlock/sharpshooter

senkai shiki no falcon arrow - When Hayabusa turns while holding his opponent in verticle suplex position before dropping them down onto their back tombstone style

suichoku rakka shiki no (insert name of move) - This means verticle drop. Basically, you hold your opponent in a verticle position and do a move where you make them fall straight down onto their head. Thus, a suichoku rakka shiki no brainbuster is the same as what we call a brainbuster, a verticle suplex set up where you suplex them straight down onto their head.

suisha otoshi - a watermill suplex. This move was brought to Japan by Salmon Hashimikov. It looks like a back body drop except it starts out with the wrestler performing tucking their head under the opponents arm or in between their legs and scooping them up onto one shoulder.

swandive shiki no (insert name of move) - This is when a wrestler stands on the ring apron and slings themselves up to the top rope then jumps off the top rope and gives their a missile kick, huracan rana, etc.

taigatame - Any form of a cover where neither of the opponent's legs are hooked. In other words, a body press or lateral press

tetsubo shiki no dobitski corbata - slingshot over the top rope into a spinning headscissors

uchujin plancha - springboard plancha

udehishigigyakujujigatame - cross arm bar. This has also been called a cross armbreaker.

ura STF - reverse spinning toe hold facelock

uraken - Typically a spinning backfist, but it's called an uraken as long as it's some version of a backfist

SENTENCES

Otto! Tanaka wa chidaruma no jyoutai ni narimashita! Monosugoi shuketsu desu! - Oh no! Tanaka's become a bloody pulp! He's bleeding profusely!

SLANG

    Fun predominantly slang terms for people wondering what those crazy guys and gals are screaming in the ring.  If you find any of these terms offensive, blame Keith.:P

bacchi gateru - the heavens will it that you be cursed, oh foul thing!
bakayaro - stupid fucker!
busu - ugly woman
busu na - she's fucking ugly!
chi chi - tits
chikkushoh - goddamn it!
chin chin kokoro - you can't get it up/you've got a small dick
hara ga tatsu - I'm pissed off!
himo - pimp
ike - fucking go!
ikuzo - here I go!
ippai oppai - breasts
ippatsu sasero - fuck you!
joro - prostitute
kono yaro - you fucker!/hey fucker
kusai - you stink!
kuso - shit
kutabre subeta - fuck you, bitch!
manko - pussy
o-mae - I don't like you (with meaning of contempt)
o-mae ra - I don't like any of you (with meaning of contempt)
shine - God wills it that you drop dead!
sore wa sugoi - That was awesome!
yamero - You'd better give up!
yamete - I give up!
yaro - not a good person
zakenayo - fuck you!

    This dictionary is certainly far from complete. It also might not be 100% accurate because there is usually more than one way of translating a given word and more than one meaning for each word. My goal in creating this list is to increase the number of Japanese words that all of us can comprehend. So, if you have any additions or corrections please submit them to me for addition to the list. Of course, everyone who helps out will be added to the credit list that follows.

Credit: The Kanji Dictionary by Mark Spahn & Wolfgang Hadamitzky, Japanese: The Spoken Language Part 1 by Eleanor Harz Jorden with Mari Noda, Keith Watanabe - Manami Toyota Rules!, Nelson's Kanji Dictionary, Kenkyusha's New Collegiate Japanese-English Dictionary, Chris Martinez, Miko Kubota - Michiku Pro , Kim Chang Won, Glenn Tsunekawa - nCo web site , Zul, Jeffrey's J/E Dictionary, Roosevelt Cooper, Adam Jarmusch