Editing Kiai

{{Italic title}}
{{Short description|Short yell uttered by martial artists}}
{{Redirect2|Hi-yah|Hi-yah!|the streaming service|Hi-YAH!}}
{{About|2=the village in Iran|3=Kiai, Iran|4=the expert in Islam|5=Kyai|6=the radio station|7=KIAI}}
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{{More citations needed|date=June 2008}}
{{More footnotes|date=January 2019}}
{{notability|date=September 2021}}
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{{Infobox martial art term
| kanji = 気合
| hiragana = きあい
| revhep = kiai
| hangul = 기합
| hanja = 氣合
| rr = gihap
| mr = kihap
| wah = 華
}}
In [[Japanese language|Japanese]] [[Japanese martial arts|martial arts]] a {{Nihongo|'''''kiai'''''|気合|4={{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|iː|aɪ}}|lead=yes}} is a short shout uttered when performing an assault.

Traditional Japanese [[dojo]] generally uses single syllables beginning with a vowel. The practice has become a part of [[Modern history of East Asian martial arts#Western interest|Asian martial arts in popular culture]], especially in [[martial arts film]]s, in writing often rendered in variants such as ''Hi-yah!'', ''Aiyah!'', ''Eeee-yah!'' or ''Hyah!''.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}} A ''kiai'' is usually not the word "''kiai''" itself.

==Etymology==
The term is a compound of ''[[qi|ki]]'' ({{langx|ja|気}}), meaning "energy" or "mood" and ''a(u)'' ({{langx|ja|[[:wikt:合|合]]}}, [[infinitive]] ''ai''), an emphatic marker.<ref>Frederick John Lovret says, "ai, the conjunctive stem of the verb au, does not mean "to join" in this case: when used in the second position of a compound word, ai becomes an emphatic marker. ''Kiai'', therefore, is an energetic yell.</ref> The same concept is known as ''kihap'' in many [[Korean martial arts]], such as [[taekwondo]] and [[Tang Soo Do]], ''ki'' being the ''energy'' and ''hap'' meaning ''to join'', ''to harmonize'' or ''to amplify'', based on the Korean reading of the same characters; its [[Hangul]] spelling is [[:ko:기합|기합]].

In the board game ''[[Go (game)|Go]]'', the term [[Go terms#Kiai|describes fighting spirit]].<ref>[http://senseis.xmp.net/?Kiai Kiai], Sensei's Library ([[Go (game)|Go]] resource).</ref>

==Use in martial arts==
[[File:Kiai.JPG|thumb|A man using ''kiai'' while performing a ''[[kata]]'']]
Students of [[Japanese martial arts]] such as [[aikido]], [[karate]], [[Okinawan kobudō|kobudo]], [[kendo]], [[taido]] or [[judo]] (or related arts such as [[taiko]] drumming) use ''kiai'' to startle an opponent, intimidate, express confidence or express victory.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://breakingmuscle.com/mind-body/the-vital-role-of-the-kiai-grunt-and-otherwise-noisy-exhale|title=The Vital Role of the Kiai, Grunt, and Otherwise Noisy Exhale|website=Breaking Muscle|date=12 November 2012 }}</ref> In [[kendo]], for example, a point is only given by the Shinpan (referees) if the hit is accompanied by a strong, convincing ''kiai''. A ''kiai'' can also be used besides tightening the core muscles to prevent damage to the stomach. The physical aspects of a ''kiai'' are often used to teach a student proper breathing technique when executing an attack which is a common trait adopted by many other foreign martial arts and combat sports. A ''kiai'' is also sometimes used to intimidate.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

This is especially useful for longer series of attacks such as ''[[kirikaeshi]]'', ''kakari geiko'' (rapid partner exercise creating openings) and ''uchikomi geiko'' (responding fast to openings made by the partner).{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

Mental imagery techniques are used to teach the martial artist to imagine starting a ''kiai'' in the [[hara (tanden)|hara]] or [[dantian]]; from a physiological perspective, this means the yell should start in the diaphragm, not the throat.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Don Oberloh "The Dojo Desk Reference- Translation of "Hyaku Jiten no Bugei" by Sakiyama Akatsuki. Densho Publications Honolulu, Hi. (2006) {{ISBN|0-9787198-0-8}} This book is now available as an ebook through Lulu, iTunes and Barnes and Noble.
* E.J. Harrison, ''The Fighting Spirit of Japan'' Overlook TP; Reprint edition (1988) {{ISBN|0-87951-154-0}}
* Forrest E. Morgan, ''Living the Martial Way: A Manual for the Way a Modern Warrior Should Think'', Barricade Books, 1992, {{ISBN|0-942637-76-3}}

[[Category:Japanese martial arts| ]]
[[Category:Japanese martial arts terminology]]
[[Category:Battle cries]]