FMA – Terminology

The Filipino Martial Arts terminology commonly used in all FMA practitioner all over the world. List below are the meanings of the common terms.

Isa – One
Dalawa – Two
Tatlo – Three
Apat – Four
Lima – Five
Anim – Six
Pito – Seven
Walo – Eight
Siyam – Nine
Sampu – Ten
Guro – teacher 
Galang – respect 
Bigay-galang – salutation 
Hanay – row or line 
Handa – “Get ready!” 
Pugay – give respect
Atras – backward 
Abante – forward 
Sentro – center 
Entrada – entry 
Gitna – center 
Kaliwa – left 
Kanan – right 
Ikot – turn 
Handa sa labanan – ready fighting stance 
Abang – to wait defensively 
Agaw Armas – disarming/retrieval of the weapon 
Basag – Broken 
Baston – stick 
Kadena de Mano – chain of hands 
Kontra – counter 
Krusada – cross block and strike 
de Kadena – “the chain” 
Delikado – dangerous 
Dikitan – close quarters 
Enganyo – fake or feint 
Hapos – strike or slash 
Hapsanay – free sparring 
Hawak – hold 
Ilag – evade 
Ikot sa Pag Hataw – spinning strike 
Itaas – above/upper  
Iwas – to avoid, dodge or duck 
Kadyot – snap thrust 
Kamot – to punch/hand 
Laban – fight 
Mano’ y Mano – hand to hand fight 
Opo – respectful form of saying “yes” 
Paikot – rotate 
Palad – palm of the hand 
Palit – change or exchange 
Pangamot – empty-hand defense 
Pasungkit – to thrust upward 
Pataas – upward 
Payong – umbrella 
Pekiti – close range 
Piktos – snap strike 
Punong Guro – head teacher 
Redonda – continuous double stick flow technique
Redondo – circular power strike 
Retirada – to retreat 
Rompida – an upward and downward slash 
Ronda – circular movement of the hands or weapon 
Rapillon – a double stick flow technique or movement 
Sipaan – to kick 
Sinawalli – to weave; a continuous double stick technique 
Songkiti – a hooking movement used to parry 
Suntok – to punch 
Tadyak – thrust kick 
Tapi – to parry or deflect 
Tapik – to nudge, deflect or parry 
Tapi-Tapi – checking; a series of parries & blocks 
Totsada – to thrust 
Tuhod – knee 
Tuloy-tuloy – continuous 
Tusok – thrust