Most Kimarite will be the combination of these Japanese words. The usage of these words is as follows: when you see Yoritaoshi as Kimarite, separate the word into two smaller segments, Yori and Taoshi. Then look up the definition of each word and guess the actual meaning of the Kimarite.
Tsuki-: to push/hit opponent's body with hand(s) (usually with stretched arms)
Oshi-: to push opponent with hands (usually without holding opponent's mawashi and with arms bent)
Yori-: to push opponent with body (usually holding opponent's mawashi)
Tsuri-: to pull up and carry opponent with his mawashi or arms.
Okuri-: to push opponent's back
Hiki-: to pull opponent down
Kime-: to wrap your arm(s) around opponent's arm(s) at his elbow(s) and put toward inward to make it (them) useless
Abise-: when opponent tries to "tsuri," you use your body weight to make him fall
Wari-: to hold opponent's upper arm Wari-Dashi: to push opponent out of dohyo holding his arms
Kaina-: arm Kaina-Hineri: "hineri" holding opponent's upper arm
Sokubi-: to hit/push opponent's neck while he face-down to the dohyo
Ke-: to kick Ke-kaeshi: to kick opponent's inner shin or ankle to make him fall forward (at tachiai) Ke-taguri: to kick opponent inner shin or ankle to make him fall forward (during match, usually while pulling opponent's arm)
-Dashi: to push opponent out of dohyo
-Taoshi: to make opponent fall (usually toward his back or side, except Okuri-taoshi)
-Kiri: to push opponent out of dohyo Yori-Kiri: to push opponent with your body out of dohyo
-Otoshi: to make opponent fall toward his front or side
-Hineri: twist opponent down toward his side or back
-Nage: throwing techniques using hand(s) and/or arm(s) -dashi-nage: main part of bodies are not touching each other
Uwate-: to put your arm over opponent's arm (usually while holding mawashi) Uwate-Nage: to throw opponent from your uwate while holding opponent's mawashi
Shitate-: to put your arm under opponent's arm (usually holding mawashi) Shitate-Nage: to throw opponent from your shitate holding opponent's mawashi
Kote-: wrap your arm around opponent's arm over his upper arm
Sukui-: wrap your arm under opponent's armpit
Kubi-: wrap your arm around opponent's neck
Tsukami-: to hold opponent's arms with your hands
Nicho-: to put your (right) foot outside of opponent's same (right) side foot
Koshi-: hip Koshi-nage: to throw opponent over your hip
Kake- (-Gake): to wrap your leg/foot around opponent's leg/foot
-Muso: to wrap your hand/arm around opponent's leg/foot
Uchi-: from inside toward outside
Soto-: from outside toward inside
Kiri-Kaeshi: you hold opponent's side and put your knee behind opponent's knee and trip him over your knee (while pushing opponent's front side)
Kata-Sukashi: from sukui position you pull opponent down at his shoulder blade area
Saba-Ori: to pull opponent's hip/waist area toward you with or without holding his mawashi (similar to "bear hug")
Isami-Ashi: while your are on the offensive, inadvertently you put your foot over the dohyo rim and lose your match
The most commonly seen Kimarite are Yorikiri and Oshidashi. Of the 300 bouts in the Makunouchi division in the 1996 Osaka basho, 94 were decided by Yorikiri and an additional 48 by Oshidashi.
In order of frequency, the 25 top winning techniques are: Yorikiri, Oshidashi, Uwatenage, Hatakikomi, Okuridashi, Yoritaoshi, Tsukiotoshi, Shitatenage, Tsukidashi, Sukuinage, Hikiotoshi, Oshitaoshi, Kotenage, Uwatedashinage, Kirikaeshi, Tsukitaoshi, Katasukashi, Tsuridashi, Kimedashi, Sotogake, Shitatedashinage, Susoharai, Ketaguri and Kekaeshi.
Tsuki(n), Tsuku(v): to stroke opponent's chest with both arms, either in simultaneous or alternate motion in upward direction; making him lean back. Drive opponent outside the dohyo by a tsuki motion.
Oshi(n), osu(v): to push opponent on his chest or by grabbing the elbow from below (ottsukeru). The difference with tsuki is that the palms are always in contact with opponent's body. Pushing by means of grabbing opponent's Mawashi (also mitsu: belt) on the front side near the stomach (mae-mitsu) also counts as an oshi. Ottsuke(ru): (mae)mitsu: push opponent outside the dohyo by an oshi motion.
Yori(n), yoru(v): to advance towards the opponent while securing body contact, either by shoving the arms under/inside opponent's arms/armpits (sasu), and/or taking hold of his mawashi. Drive opponent outside the dohyo by a yori motion.
Hineri(n), hineru(v): to twist the grip of either the opponent's Mawashi or some part of body, usually by rotating the wrist.
Tsuri(n), tsuru(v): take grip on opponent's Mawashi with both hands, and lift his body up, supporting weight by the waist. Tsuri(ru) take opponent in a tsuri and land him down outside the dohyo. More effective and safe when lifted on the side, rather than the front. Another Champion winning tactic.
If the sashite side arm grabs opponent's mawashi, then it is called a shitate. A grab by the other arm (over opponent's sashite) is called an uwate. When a rikishi succeeds to sasu both of his arms, then it is called moro-zashi and is considered a strong advantage, since it is difficult for the other to take uwate holds with both arms, thus leaving them afloat and impotent. However, if he can clench his hands over opponent's sashite and puts squeezing pressure on them (called kannuki: this may sometimes break opponent's arm), then the advantage may be reversed.
Throwing methods nage(n), nageru(v): to throw means to take hold of the opponent, either by the mawashi or some part of the body, and to topple or drive out opponent by the throwing motion of the holding arm.
Basically, Yorikiri is considered the most secure and safest way to win (but see Utchari). Thus it is the champion's winning way. Oshi-zumo, if it hits the spot, guarantees a decisive and instantaneous victory, but the tactic often fall prey to dodging motions or being slapped down, and also quite helpless once countered by a yotsu-zumo. Oshi-zumo rikishi are thus generally regarded as simplistic and bull-run types, while yotsu-zumo rikishi are said to be technicians.
Sometimes a rikishi will be marching his opponent to the edge of the ring, only to step out inadvertently before his foe. This is called Isamiashi. Also commonly used as a Japanese idiom meaning "going too far".
Koshikudake is called when a rikishi loses balance for some reason, and falls to the dohyo. Also called inadvertent hip collapse.
These are prohibited tactics which result in an automatic loss. Called Hansoku, they are a violation of basic sumo rules:
Strike with a closed fist. Intentionally grab opponent's hair. Gouge at the eyes. Strike both ears from both sides simultaneously. Hold or put fingers in the vertical portion of the mawashi. Clutch and squeeze opponent's throat. Kick opponent's chest or stomach. Bend back one or two of your opponent's fingers. If one's mawashi unravels and exposes the rikishi.
When two rikishi fall together, the one on the lower side is called shini-tai, literally "dead body." In such a case, and if harm is foreseen, the one on the upper side can support his weight (thus sparing his opponent more serious injury) by sticking out a hand. This is called kabaite, and will not deprive him of the win even though he touched down first. The most recent case is the Konishiki-Wakanohana bout in the final day of the 1993 Natsu basho. Kabaite is in many cases controversial.
This list of sumo techniques is taken essentially verbatim from the SUMO FAQ for the sumo mailing list. Last modified: 10 September 1995. Contributors include J. Crossley, Y. Hiraga, R. Magahiz, D. Riley, and J. Swain. Yes, there are more than 48 of these.
Abisetaoshi: frontal force-down; the same as Yoritaoshi except that it occurs inside the ring.
Amiuchi: net-casting twist-down; grab the opponent's arms, spread-eagle his body, and then pull him down.
Ashitori: two-handed leg tip-over; quickly getting his hands under the rival's leg, he then lifts up to get him off-balance and dump him.
Chongake: from a close but non-contact stance, tip the opposite side leg of the opponent by the ankle (the right leg tips right ankle), making it aloft, then push opponent down.
Fusenhai: You don't show up for the match. Your foe wins by Fusensho.
Gasshohineri: clasped-hands twist throw; while holding the opponent's head with both hands, the attacker twists him down.
Harimanage: rear-belt throw.
Hatakikomi: winner slaps the opponent's shoulder, back, neck or arm to bring him down. Often seen right at the tachiai.
Hikiotoshi: pulling down the opponent's hand or hands to force him down. Can be used on the opponent's mawashi as well. Similar to Tsukiotoshi.
Hikkake: arm-grabbing force-out; while grabbing an arm from the inside, a rikishi uses the other hand to grab the opponent's other hand or arm to to pull or twist him down.
Ippon-Zeoi: dodge an opponent's tsuki (pushing tactic). Grab his stretched arm over the shoulder and hurl over. Also seen in Judo, except that you can't kneel down in Sumo.
Izori: dodge opponent's rush by crouching down, rise while grabbing his leg with both arms and mount him on back, further lean back making him fall first.
Kainahineri: two-handed arm twist-down; take opponent's upper arm with one arm, place palm of other arm from above and press down, making the opponent turn over.
Kakenage: combination arm-leg throw where the attacker locks one arm around the opponent while wrapping one leg around him also. Then he swings down the off-balance rikishi to the dirt.
Kakezori: leg-kick sacrifice throw.
Katasukashi: under-shoulder swing-down; the attacker gets his own arm under the other's, then twists his body to make the other stumble forward. Then with the other arm, slap the opponent on his shoulder to make him fall. If done quickly, the opponent will make a full flip. Looks a lot like Hatakikomi.
Kawazugake: backward lift counter trip against Tsuridashi, Tsuriotoshi or Sotogake; in self-defense, a rikishi will wrap a leg around the back of his opponent's leg. At the same time he puts the arm on the same side of his around his opponent's neck, forcing both to fall backwards, and the counter-attacker lands on top.
Kekaeshi: footsweep; a rikishi suddenly kicks out his opponent's ankle while pulling him down to the dirt.
Ketaguri: when opponent comes rushing forward, kick his ankle from inside-out and he will stumble on his own. Effective as a surprise attack at the beginning instant, especially against a pushing (oshi) specialist.
Kimedashi: elbow-clamp force-out; to lock one's arms around the opponent's thrusting or gripping arms and then drive him out in style similar to Yorikiri.
Kimetaoshi: elbow-clamp force-down; same as above but the loser is forced down.
Kirikaeshi: backward knee trip while in yotsu-zumo; the attacker gets the underside of his knee on the other's kneecap while holding his mawashi to twist him down.
Komatasukui: over-thigh scoop; using a dashinage from the left, then grabbing the opponent's right leg from the knee or above, keeping his balance while toppling the other.
Koshinage: to throw after mounting opponent on one's waist. Not very effective.
Kotenage: arm-lock throw; the winner locks his arms around the other's and then swings him down.
Kubihineri: press one palm on opponent's neck, grab his elbow with the other arm and twistingly press down with the arm on his neck.
Kubinage: head-lock throw; almost exclusively a defensive technique. Curl an arm around opponent's neck and throw in a twisting motion. The other arm should immobilize opponent's facing arm.
Makiotoshi: sideways twist-throw; the rikishi grabs the other's torso and wraps them around his back to twist him down. This usually becomes Tsukiotoshi in the end.
Mitokorozeme: using an uchigake move, stretch the free arm under the knee of opponent's other leg to lift up and topple him over.
Nichonage: leg-sweep throw; also called a two-leaf throw. Take a shitate, tangle the same side leg around opponent's opposite-side leg (for a right shitate, tangle right leg to opponent's right leg), and using it as a pivot, throw him down.
Nimaigeri: kick opponent's ankle from the outside to make him topple.
Okuridashi: one rikishi gets turned around and the other pushes him out from behind.
Okuritaoshi: same as Okuridashi but the winner pushes so hard that the other falls down.
Oomata: when the opponent advances the opposite leg, lift it up from the inside thigh and topple him down.
Oshidashi: frontal push-out, arms folded/bent
Oshitaoshi: frontal push-down, the loser falling out of the ring.
Sabaori: forward force-down; the attacker pulls on the other's mawashi from the outside while they are in each other's grip, then leaning forward to bring him to the dirt in a kneeling position. Note that Sabaori as commonly known (which is more like pro-wrestling's bear hug, clenching fists behind the opponent's back) is illegal in Sumo.
Sakatottari: arm-bar throw counter; freeing the hand that was held by the opponent, the rikishi then twists down the other man.
Shitatedashinage: pulling under-arm throw. This by itself is often not decisive, but will disrupt opponent's stance.
Shitatehineri: twisting under-arm throw; the attacker grips inside or under his opponent's mawashi to twist him down.
Shitatenage: under-arm throw; similar to Uwatenage, except the winner has a grip on the mawashi inside of the other's arm or under the mawashi.
Shumokuzori: crouch down and lift opponent up high before leaning back. Posture similar to pro-wrestling's airplane.
Sotogake: frontal leg trip; bringing an opponent toward the attacker from a gripping position, then tripping him from the front of the leg below the knees.
Sotokomata: similar to Komatasukui, but the attacker wraps his arm under the other's thigh instead of from above.
Sotomuso: outer-thigh-grabbing twist-down; the attacker's arm is over his opponent's and then brushes the area behind his rival's right knee and twist him down to the right.
Soto-tasukizori: secure hold one of opponent's elbow, swing other arm to the same side and stretch to hold his leg from the inside, then lean back while lifting opponent. Very rare.
Sukuinage: throw an opponent without a Mawashi grip, initially shoving opponent's armpit in a slightly upward direction.
Susoharai: backward footsweep.
Susotori: if opponent's one leg steps forward right in one's front, grab that ankle from the outside to make him fall.
Tasukizori: mount opponent on shoulder grabbing his arm with one arm and his leg with the other. Lean back to fall.
Tottari: grab opponent's wrist with one hand, take hold of the elbow from below with the other, take a side-by-side position and twist whole body to make opponent topple. Another surprise attack method.
Tsukaminage: lift up opponent by the grip and drop down.
Tsukidashi: thrust out; similar to Oshidashi except the right/left hands are used alternately to force out the other.
Tsukiotoshi: winner turns suddenly and forces down the opponent at an angle. Often a defensive tactic by a retreating rikishi.
Tsukitaoshi: Tsukidashi with the loser being thrust off his feet in/out of the ring.
Tsumatori: take opponent by his side and advance to make him lose balance, then grab an ankle or toe and lift to make him fall to the front.
Tsuridashi: hold the opponent by the mawashi and lift out; the winner carries the loser out of the ring.
Tsuriotoshi: similar to Tsuridashi, but the attacker cannot lift out his opponent, so he drops him inside the ring. Requires great strength and it's dangerous to lose by this Kimarite.
Uchigake: inside leg trip; same as Sotogake, but tripping from above the knee of the opponent.
Uchimuso: inner-thigh-grabbing twist-down; similar to Sotomuso, but the move is to the left instead of the right.
Utchari: The ultimate reversal tactics. Pressed at the edge of the dohyo rim, lean back, support opponent's weight on the stomach, then twist to either side to let him go first. Often very spectacular, but can be hazardous as the winner leans far back and twists the other around to toss him out.
Uwatedashinage: Different from Uwatenage in that the palm faces up, with the two often standing in a side-by-side position. The throw is more like a dragging motion towards the opposing side leg. This will cause a rotating motion of the opponent, so he often falls face up, while in an Uwatenage, he falls face down.
Uwatehineri: twisting over-arm throw; similar to Shitatehineri, but executed with an outside hold on the opponent's mawashi.
Uwatenage: winner gets his grip on the outside of his opponent's arm and on the mawashi to throw him down.
Waridashi: Take an uwate hold with one arm, press the other on opponent's upper arm, advance to make him lean back and out of the dohyo.
Watashikomi: thigh-grabbing push-down;the attacker grabs the back of his opponent's calf and pulls it forward, while pushing against his body and thrusting him out with the other hand.
Yaguranage: from an uwate hold, lift the same side knee between the opponent's thigh, and after an initial lifting grip, twist-throw down.
Yobimodoshi: backward push-down; the attacker draws his rival over to him and then uses that momentum to thrust the man down.
Yorikiri: frontal force-out; the attacker will be holding the mawashi of his opponent.
Yoritaoshi: similar style as Yorikiri, but the victor lands on top of the loser, and this occurs outside of the ring.
Zubuneri: elbow-twist throw; while the attacker's head is on the opponent's chest or shoulder (making it a fulcrum), he grabs the other's elbow and twists down the other rikishi.