Dōjō
/ˈdoʊ.dʒoʊ/noun
A place where martial arts or other disciplined practices are taught and practiced.
Did you know?The Japanese word originally referred to a Buddhist place for pursuing enlightenment, while its martial-arts meaning developed later.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient India
Sanskrit
bodhimaṇḍa
“A sacred site associated with awakening or enlightenment”
Early Medieval China
Chinese
道場 (dàochǎng)
“A place of the Way; a Buddhist site for religious practice”
Classical Japanese
Japanese
道場 (dōjō)
“A Buddhist place of practice or spiritual discipline”
Medieval Japan
Japanese
道場 (dōjō)
“A site used for religious training and disciplined practice”
19th–20th Century
Japanese
道場 (dōjō)
“A training hall, especially for martial arts”
Modern English
English
dojo
“A martial-arts training hall, also used more broadly for a place of focused practice”