TERMS
A
Adat: Rules of Conduct
Agung: Great
Ahli: Expert
Alis plarian: To dodge, and escape.
Anting Anting: A power that is said to keep the Filipino Warrior from harm even if struck by a
weapon (stick, or blade).
Api: Fire
Ayer: Water
B
Bagalombang Dua-Blas: A Sumatran style that resembles the motion of waves.
Banga: A free flowing drill using stances, kicks, strikes, evasion / decoying techniques, Langkahs,
Jurus, and etc that is improvised on the spur of the moment. To shadow boxing.
Binatang Empat: Four animal styles
Bantingang: To throwing the opponent
Bapak: Father / Male Elder
Baru Silat: A silat system from Sumatra. A system that is an evasive, and defensive. Emphases on
hand techniques like blocking, parrying, trapping, and cover. The name implies a “New Place”.
Bedok: A curved knife.
Bela Diri: Self-defense
Belkok: Crane
Beset: A leg sweep by stepping to the rear, or tripping the attacker.
Bhakti Negara: A southern Balinese style of Silat founded in 1955 by Ida Bagus Oka
Dinwangkara. A combination of older Silat styles and Japanese style of karate, aikido, and jujitsu.
The name suggest “sacrifice / exclusive dedication / state.
Blok: Block
Buang: To throw away
Buka: opening
Budoja Indonesia Matarm: A Central Java style that is characterized by ground-rolling and high-
leaping. The suggest “Culture place of Indonesia”.
Bumi: Earth
C
Cabang: Trident
Carabao: Water buffalo
Champaka Putih: A style of Silat practiced in the Tjikabon area of central Java and extends to
Jogjakarta. The system is characterized with low squatting postures, Sempok and Depok. The
practitioner uses these postures to spin on one leg while kicking, and sweeping with the other leg
knocking the feet out from underneath their opponents.
Chekeh: Choking
Cipta: Forefront to feeling.
D
Dalem: Outside
Dasar: Fundamentals of silat
Dasar Kaki Tenunan: The elements of weaving foot
Dasar Pasan: Flowing with the entire body.
Dasar Tangan Tenunan: The elements of weaving hand
Depok: Rear leg steps into in front of the lead leg.
Duduk: The sitting position
Dumog: Filipino art of grappling.
E
Empat: The number four.
Ende: The silat develop in and named after the city in Southern Flores, off Indonesia. The style
was said to have traveled to Lombok, and Bali.
G
Garis: Line
Garuda: Eagle
Gedor: Back Fist
Gerak-gerak: Movements
Golok: A heavy single edged sword that looks likes a small broadsword.
Guar: Striking with the edge (inside, or outside) of the hand .
Gunting: “Scissors”, the act of cutting, crushing, trapping, or mirror strikes.
Guru: Teacher, able to teach others his art and experience.
Guru Baharu: New Teacher
Guru Besar, or Maha Guru: Master Teacher
H
Hati Hati: Attention
Harimau: Ground Tiger Style
Hormat: Respect / loyalty / Indebtedness.
I
Ibu: Mother / Female Elder
Ilmu: Science, or magic
Ilmu Kebatinan: Spiritual Knowledge
Ilmu Sehat: Internal power
J
Juru: Short forms for upper body movement of blocking, and striking. Can have 6, or more jurus in
one style.
K
Kailat: Closing on the target
Kaki: Leg, or Foot
Kanan: Right
Kamasukan: The successful entry into the your opponent’s defense.
Kebatinan: Spiritually, mysticism
Kedutan: Palm of the hand
Kejawan: Javanese spirituality
Kelid: Techniques to dodge an attack.
Kendang: Training hall, or school
Kerambit: Tiger Claw Blade
Kilap: "Thunder Clap", a style of nerve center strikes.
Kinjit: Elbow directed throwing technique.
Kiri: left
Kris: Waved Indonesian-Malay knife / sword. Said to have magical powers.
Kuda: Horse
Kuda-Kuda: Horse Style. The scraping, kicks, and stomping of the feet. Flowing from stance to
stance, repositioning, and lead leg changing to confuse the opponent.
Kuda kuda pipih: Flat Stance
Kujang: Tjimande knife
Kembangan, Kembangs, or Kambangan: “Flower Dance”, long forms in silat.
Kuntao: Originally a Chinese art called “Chaun Fa” (the first name of Kung Fu). Kuntao is a brutal
art of punishment on top of punishment. The name is actually two words, “Kun” meaning “Hand“,
and “Tao” meaning “The way of”. So Kuntao, or Kun Tao means “The way of the hand or foot”.
Kun Taoers: People that practice Kun Tao (Slang)
L
Langkah: 1. Footwork 2. Lower body movements 3. A series of jurus strung together.
Langkah Lima: The tiga footwork pattern using a “+”
Langkah Empat: Footwork pattern that has four side (square).
Latihan: Practice exercise
Lompat: To jump
Luar: inside
M
Ma'afghan Hormat: A gesture of respect for the head of the silat system. The gifts of Hormat are
a knife, a chicken, tobacco, and cloth.
Maen Po: To sparring with light contact, To play fight.
Majapahit: Means “Bitter Fruit” due to the huge sacrifice and loss of human life which lead the
way for a 300-year-long empire named after it.
Malay: For the country of Malaysia or the Southeast Asia where Silat was born.
Matjanan Lontjat: Leaping Tiger
Matjanan Tingi: High Tiger
Mas: Little Brother
Meloncat: Jump
Mengelak: Evade / Throw
Mina Kabauw: Dance style
Monjet: Monkey
Murid: Basic student, or Disciple
N
Naga: Dragon Snake
O
Oeler: Snake
Oeler Sawa: Python
P
Pamacan: Tiger style founded by Embah Kahir
Panantukan: Filipino boxing that is similar to American boxing.
Pantjar: The platform excluding the outside Sliwa and Tiga
Patahan: To Break
Pecahan: To break, or To solve a problem
Pecut: Whip
Pedang: sword
Pelajarn: Student
Pendekar: Spiritual Grandmaster
Pentjak: 1. A dance, 2. The practice of combative techniques with or without a partner without
killing, 3. The practice of techniques with the intent of healthful training.
Pentjak-Silat: To fight using Pentjak
Pentjakkers: People that practice Pentjak-Silat. (Slang)
Pesilat: Silat Practitioner
Petjut: "Whip Style"
Perisai Diri: A Central Javanese system that was modernized by R.M.S. Dirdjoatmodjo in 1955. Its
techniques are the basis of self-defense for the Indonesian Military. The system ranking is the
wear of uniforms, black uniform is worn by students, and white uniforms are worn by the teachers,
or expert.
Pisau: A small straight bladed knife
Po: A suffix denoting respect.
Poekoelan: The old Dutch spelling before the national language charge when Indonesia declared
it’s independents after WWII. Means, hitting, or striking.
Pombas Mian: To kill the opponent.
Pukul Ayer Terjun: Waterfall Punch
Pukul Lurus Tangan: Straight Jab Punch
Pukul Membalekan: Inverted Punch
Pukulan: The new spelling after WWII. Indonesians changed a lot of the spelling to cast out the
Dutch that ruled Indonesia for so long. Means the same as above spelling.
Pukulan Tjiminde Malay: Develop by Guru James Hogue to honor all of his instructors in Silat,
Kuntao, Kali, and grappling. Art was develop for street defense only. The Name means, “ To hit or
strike in a flowing manor, with Southeast Asian influence”.
Puntiar: To jump
Pusaka: Valuable and old
Puter Kepala: “Turn The Head”, the act of throwing a person by turning, or cranking the head.
R
Raja Hati: Royal Style
Raja Naga: King Dragon Snake
Rahasia: Secret
Randai: An Indonesian fighting style that borrows techniques from silat, but isn’t apart of silat.
Rasa: Feeling / Intuition
Rencong: Toe knife
S
Sabar: To be patient.
Sabet: To Slice
Sabit: Front instep kick / kicking side to side.
Sabit Tumit: Heel thrusting kicks
Salamat: To thank.
Sahblet: Torture, Short whipping strikes
Samadi: Detached concentration, deep meditation
Sangsat: Palm up strike from the bottom of the short hand.
Sangsat Tinge: A high sangsat
Sangsot: The upward, and front-to-back rotation of the opponent’s arm at the shoulder.
Sapu: 1. Standing sweeping techniques driceted towards the ankle. 2. To throw for purpose of
repositioning and off balancing.
Sarong: A long scarf that is used for wear, or fighting. An Indonesian Kilt.
Sekolah: School
Selamat: Peace, or go in peace, means the same as in Salaam,
Selamat Datang: Welcome
Selamat pada tua: Peace to you (plural)
Selosor: A scooping front kick to move the sarong out of the way.
Semangat: Spirit, vital energy or life force
Sempok: Lead leg goes behind the rear leg.
Senjata: Weapons
Sepah: Kick
Serak: Decoying style; named for it founder, Pak Serak. Pak Serak developed a style based one
multi-hitting, distances, luring, and etc, although he had no use of one side of his body. The style
was develop with the assistants of Pak Serak’s top student Mas Djoet.
Serangan: attack
Sibat: Staff / Bo.
Silat: To fight, or kill using combat techniques of Pentjak.
Siloh, or Sila: The cross sit position.
Sikap: Position, or posture of the body.
Siku-siku: Small forked weapon.
Sikut: Elbow
Singgulan: Using the wrist
Sliwa: Square foot pattern used to teach decoy and evasion.
Sterlak Silat: A Sumatran style that trains the student to punch, kick, and to executing their
techniques with the whole body.
Sudah: Yes, I understand.
Sujud: Self Surrender
Sumbut: 1. Techniques with two people for the purpose of practicing the principles of combat. 2.
The practice of evasion, parry, and counter striking strung together in a restricted sparring against
one or more people.
Sumbut Pukui: To evade, parry, and strike the opponent.
Sumbutan: Fighting
Susulan: Reverse heel kick / Hook kick
T
Tameng: Shield
Tangan: Hand
Tangkapan: To capture the enemy.
Tangkis: To block, or ward off a strike.
Tarian: Dance
Te: Kick
Tebasan: To sweep
Teke: Flat fist, or Cobra Strike.
Tempiling: Hard slapping
Tenaga Dalam: Inner power
Tewekan: Thrusting Finger Jab
Tiga: 1. “Three Sides”, 2. Triangle, and 3. Number 3
Tiji Monjet: Ape Style
Tjabang: A weapon that looks like a Sai.
Tjikalong: Bat Style, name after the city of the bats. Uses open hand strikes, and augmented
blocks. Legend has it that the movement was develop from a Kuntao Master that use the
movements to avoid the missiles of a blowpipe.
Tjimande, Cimande, or Tjimindie: “Flowing Water Hands”. A brother art of Serak. Founder was
Embah Kahir (1760). Art of fast striking flowing strikes and kicks with destructive hits to the attacker
arms and legs to make them useless.
Tjingkrik: A Javanese system that uses evasive footwork, open hand techniques, and acrobatic
tactics.
Tjiwaringin: A rare form of west Javanese Silat that was developed from Tjimande.
Tongkat: Straight Stick
Tongkat Keciel: Short stick
Tongkat Panjang: Long stick
Tongkat Setengah: Half stick
Tonjok: Reveres Punch
Totog Atas Dari Bawah: Uppercut Punch
Tridharma: Northern Balinese Silat system that means, Three-honesty / peace.
Trumbu: Stick art founded by Embah Kahir
Tulen: 1. Original, or 2. Purity
Tusukan: To stab
U
Udara: Air
Ular sawa: Python
Ular sendok: Cobra
Undukayam Silat: An unusual style of silat from Sumatra that imitates the actions of a hen.
Footwork is short and choppy and is use only to displace their opponent.
Adat: Rules of Conduct
Agung: Great
Ahli: Expert
Alis plarian: To dodge, and escape.
Anting Anting: A power that is said to keep the Filipino Warrior from harm even if struck by a
weapon (stick, or blade).
Api: Fire
Ayer: Water
B
Bagalombang Dua-Blas: A Sumatran style that resembles the motion of waves.
Banga: A free flowing drill using stances, kicks, strikes, evasion / decoying techniques, Langkahs,
Jurus, and etc that is improvised on the spur of the moment. To shadow boxing.
Binatang Empat: Four animal styles
Bantingang: To throwing the opponent
Bapak: Father / Male Elder
Baru Silat: A silat system from Sumatra. A system that is an evasive, and defensive. Emphases on
hand techniques like blocking, parrying, trapping, and cover. The name implies a “New Place”.
Bedok: A curved knife.
Bela Diri: Self-defense
Belkok: Crane
Beset: A leg sweep by stepping to the rear, or tripping the attacker.
Bhakti Negara: A southern Balinese style of Silat founded in 1955 by Ida Bagus Oka
Dinwangkara. A combination of older Silat styles and Japanese style of karate, aikido, and jujitsu.
The name suggest “sacrifice / exclusive dedication / state.
Blok: Block
Buang: To throw away
Buka: opening
Budoja Indonesia Matarm: A Central Java style that is characterized by ground-rolling and high-
leaping. The suggest “Culture place of Indonesia”.
Bumi: Earth
C
Cabang: Trident
Carabao: Water buffalo
Champaka Putih: A style of Silat practiced in the Tjikabon area of central Java and extends to
Jogjakarta. The system is characterized with low squatting postures, Sempok and Depok. The
practitioner uses these postures to spin on one leg while kicking, and sweeping with the other leg
knocking the feet out from underneath their opponents.
Chekeh: Choking
Cipta: Forefront to feeling.
D
Dalem: Outside
Dasar: Fundamentals of silat
Dasar Kaki Tenunan: The elements of weaving foot
Dasar Pasan: Flowing with the entire body.
Dasar Tangan Tenunan: The elements of weaving hand
Depok: Rear leg steps into in front of the lead leg.
Duduk: The sitting position
Dumog: Filipino art of grappling.
E
Empat: The number four.
Ende: The silat develop in and named after the city in Southern Flores, off Indonesia. The style
was said to have traveled to Lombok, and Bali.
G
Garis: Line
Garuda: Eagle
Gedor: Back Fist
Gerak-gerak: Movements
Golok: A heavy single edged sword that looks likes a small broadsword.
Guar: Striking with the edge (inside, or outside) of the hand .
Gunting: “Scissors”, the act of cutting, crushing, trapping, or mirror strikes.
Guru: Teacher, able to teach others his art and experience.
Guru Baharu: New Teacher
Guru Besar, or Maha Guru: Master Teacher
H
Hati Hati: Attention
Harimau: Ground Tiger Style
Hormat: Respect / loyalty / Indebtedness.
I
Ibu: Mother / Female Elder
Ilmu: Science, or magic
Ilmu Kebatinan: Spiritual Knowledge
Ilmu Sehat: Internal power
J
Juru: Short forms for upper body movement of blocking, and striking. Can have 6, or more jurus in
one style.
K
Kailat: Closing on the target
Kaki: Leg, or Foot
Kanan: Right
Kamasukan: The successful entry into the your opponent’s defense.
Kebatinan: Spiritually, mysticism
Kedutan: Palm of the hand
Kejawan: Javanese spirituality
Kelid: Techniques to dodge an attack.
Kendang: Training hall, or school
Kerambit: Tiger Claw Blade
Kilap: "Thunder Clap", a style of nerve center strikes.
Kinjit: Elbow directed throwing technique.
Kiri: left
Kris: Waved Indonesian-Malay knife / sword. Said to have magical powers.
Kuda: Horse
Kuda-Kuda: Horse Style. The scraping, kicks, and stomping of the feet. Flowing from stance to
stance, repositioning, and lead leg changing to confuse the opponent.
Kuda kuda pipih: Flat Stance
Kujang: Tjimande knife
Kembangan, Kembangs, or Kambangan: “Flower Dance”, long forms in silat.
Kuntao: Originally a Chinese art called “Chaun Fa” (the first name of Kung Fu). Kuntao is a brutal
art of punishment on top of punishment. The name is actually two words, “Kun” meaning “Hand“,
and “Tao” meaning “The way of”. So Kuntao, or Kun Tao means “The way of the hand or foot”.
Kun Taoers: People that practice Kun Tao (Slang)
L
Langkah: 1. Footwork 2. Lower body movements 3. A series of jurus strung together.
Langkah Lima: The tiga footwork pattern using a “+”
Langkah Empat: Footwork pattern that has four side (square).
Latihan: Practice exercise
Lompat: To jump
Luar: inside
M
Ma'afghan Hormat: A gesture of respect for the head of the silat system. The gifts of Hormat are
a knife, a chicken, tobacco, and cloth.
Maen Po: To sparring with light contact, To play fight.
Majapahit: Means “Bitter Fruit” due to the huge sacrifice and loss of human life which lead the
way for a 300-year-long empire named after it.
Malay: For the country of Malaysia or the Southeast Asia where Silat was born.
Matjanan Lontjat: Leaping Tiger
Matjanan Tingi: High Tiger
Mas: Little Brother
Meloncat: Jump
Mengelak: Evade / Throw
Mina Kabauw: Dance style
Monjet: Monkey
Murid: Basic student, or Disciple
N
Naga: Dragon Snake
O
Oeler: Snake
Oeler Sawa: Python
P
Pamacan: Tiger style founded by Embah Kahir
Panantukan: Filipino boxing that is similar to American boxing.
Pantjar: The platform excluding the outside Sliwa and Tiga
Patahan: To Break
Pecahan: To break, or To solve a problem
Pecut: Whip
Pedang: sword
Pelajarn: Student
Pendekar: Spiritual Grandmaster
Pentjak: 1. A dance, 2. The practice of combative techniques with or without a partner without
killing, 3. The practice of techniques with the intent of healthful training.
Pentjak-Silat: To fight using Pentjak
Pentjakkers: People that practice Pentjak-Silat. (Slang)
Pesilat: Silat Practitioner
Petjut: "Whip Style"
Perisai Diri: A Central Javanese system that was modernized by R.M.S. Dirdjoatmodjo in 1955. Its
techniques are the basis of self-defense for the Indonesian Military. The system ranking is the
wear of uniforms, black uniform is worn by students, and white uniforms are worn by the teachers,
or expert.
Pisau: A small straight bladed knife
Po: A suffix denoting respect.
Poekoelan: The old Dutch spelling before the national language charge when Indonesia declared
it’s independents after WWII. Means, hitting, or striking.
Pombas Mian: To kill the opponent.
Pukul Ayer Terjun: Waterfall Punch
Pukul Lurus Tangan: Straight Jab Punch
Pukul Membalekan: Inverted Punch
Pukulan: The new spelling after WWII. Indonesians changed a lot of the spelling to cast out the
Dutch that ruled Indonesia for so long. Means the same as above spelling.
Pukulan Tjiminde Malay: Develop by Guru James Hogue to honor all of his instructors in Silat,
Kuntao, Kali, and grappling. Art was develop for street defense only. The Name means, “ To hit or
strike in a flowing manor, with Southeast Asian influence”.
Puntiar: To jump
Pusaka: Valuable and old
Puter Kepala: “Turn The Head”, the act of throwing a person by turning, or cranking the head.
R
Raja Hati: Royal Style
Raja Naga: King Dragon Snake
Rahasia: Secret
Randai: An Indonesian fighting style that borrows techniques from silat, but isn’t apart of silat.
Rasa: Feeling / Intuition
Rencong: Toe knife
S
Sabar: To be patient.
Sabet: To Slice
Sabit: Front instep kick / kicking side to side.
Sabit Tumit: Heel thrusting kicks
Salamat: To thank.
Sahblet: Torture, Short whipping strikes
Samadi: Detached concentration, deep meditation
Sangsat: Palm up strike from the bottom of the short hand.
Sangsat Tinge: A high sangsat
Sangsot: The upward, and front-to-back rotation of the opponent’s arm at the shoulder.
Sapu: 1. Standing sweeping techniques driceted towards the ankle. 2. To throw for purpose of
repositioning and off balancing.
Sarong: A long scarf that is used for wear, or fighting. An Indonesian Kilt.
Sekolah: School
Selamat: Peace, or go in peace, means the same as in Salaam,
Selamat Datang: Welcome
Selamat pada tua: Peace to you (plural)
Selosor: A scooping front kick to move the sarong out of the way.
Semangat: Spirit, vital energy or life force
Sempok: Lead leg goes behind the rear leg.
Senjata: Weapons
Sepah: Kick
Serak: Decoying style; named for it founder, Pak Serak. Pak Serak developed a style based one
multi-hitting, distances, luring, and etc, although he had no use of one side of his body. The style
was develop with the assistants of Pak Serak’s top student Mas Djoet.
Serangan: attack
Sibat: Staff / Bo.
Silat: To fight, or kill using combat techniques of Pentjak.
Siloh, or Sila: The cross sit position.
Sikap: Position, or posture of the body.
Siku-siku: Small forked weapon.
Sikut: Elbow
Singgulan: Using the wrist
Sliwa: Square foot pattern used to teach decoy and evasion.
Sterlak Silat: A Sumatran style that trains the student to punch, kick, and to executing their
techniques with the whole body.
Sudah: Yes, I understand.
Sujud: Self Surrender
Sumbut: 1. Techniques with two people for the purpose of practicing the principles of combat. 2.
The practice of evasion, parry, and counter striking strung together in a restricted sparring against
one or more people.
Sumbut Pukui: To evade, parry, and strike the opponent.
Sumbutan: Fighting
Susulan: Reverse heel kick / Hook kick
T
Tameng: Shield
Tangan: Hand
Tangkapan: To capture the enemy.
Tangkis: To block, or ward off a strike.
Tarian: Dance
Te: Kick
Tebasan: To sweep
Teke: Flat fist, or Cobra Strike.
Tempiling: Hard slapping
Tenaga Dalam: Inner power
Tewekan: Thrusting Finger Jab
Tiga: 1. “Three Sides”, 2. Triangle, and 3. Number 3
Tiji Monjet: Ape Style
Tjabang: A weapon that looks like a Sai.
Tjikalong: Bat Style, name after the city of the bats. Uses open hand strikes, and augmented
blocks. Legend has it that the movement was develop from a Kuntao Master that use the
movements to avoid the missiles of a blowpipe.
Tjimande, Cimande, or Tjimindie: “Flowing Water Hands”. A brother art of Serak. Founder was
Embah Kahir (1760). Art of fast striking flowing strikes and kicks with destructive hits to the attacker
arms and legs to make them useless.
Tjingkrik: A Javanese system that uses evasive footwork, open hand techniques, and acrobatic
tactics.
Tjiwaringin: A rare form of west Javanese Silat that was developed from Tjimande.
Tongkat: Straight Stick
Tongkat Keciel: Short stick
Tongkat Panjang: Long stick
Tongkat Setengah: Half stick
Tonjok: Reveres Punch
Totog Atas Dari Bawah: Uppercut Punch
Tridharma: Northern Balinese Silat system that means, Three-honesty / peace.
Trumbu: Stick art founded by Embah Kahir
Tulen: 1. Original, or 2. Purity
Tusukan: To stab
U
Udara: Air
Ular sawa: Python
Ular sendok: Cobra
Undukayam Silat: An unusual style of silat from Sumatra that imitates the actions of a hen.
Footwork is short and choppy and is use only to displace their opponent.