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格闘技 (かくとうぎ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
combat sport ; martial art ; one-on-one fighting sport
Refers to competitive, unarmed fighting disciplines such as judo, karate, boxing, or MMA. The English gloss 'one-on-one fighting sport (without weapons)' captures the core idea, but modern usage often includes weaponless martial arts broadly.
総そう 合ごう 格かく 闘とう 技ぎ は 世せ 界かい 中じゅう で 人にん 気き が 高たか まっ て いる 。
Mixed martial arts is growing in popularity around the world.
Written forms 格かく 闘とう 技ぎ
挌かく 闘とう 技ぎ
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; 格闘技 is overwhelmingly preferred.
Similar words 武ぶ 道どう 武道 emphasizes traditional Japanese martial arts with a philosophical or spiritual component, while 格闘技 is a broader term for competitive fighting sports, including modern ones like boxing and MMA.
武ぶ 術じゅつ 武術 refers to martial techniques or arts, often with a historical or self-defense focus, whereas 格闘技 is more associated with sport and competition.
Etymology Compound of 格闘 (kakutō, 'hand-to-hand fighting') + 技 (gi, 'technique, skill'). The kanji 格 means 'status, character, case', and 闘 means 'fight, struggle', together conveying the idea of grappling or close combat. The rare form 挌闘技 uses 挌, a variant of 格 with the same meaning.
