Dojo
/ˈdoʊ.dʒoʊ/noun
A training hall for practicing Japanese martial arts or other disciplines.
Did you know?In Japanese Buddhism, dōjō originally referred to a place for awakening and disciplined practice before becoming associated primarily with martial arts.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient India
Sanskrit
bodhimaṇḍa
“A sacred site associated with awakening or enlightenment; the concept later influenced Buddhist terminology for places of practice.”
5th–6th Century
Chinese
道場 (dàochǎng)
“A place of the Way; a Buddhist place of practice, used as a translation of Indic Buddhist concepts.”
8th–12th Century
Japanese
道場 (dōjō)
“A Buddhist place for religious practice and spiritual cultivation.”
19th Century
Japanese
道場 (dōjō)
“A place for disciplined training, increasingly used for martial-arts instruction.”
Modern English
English
dojo
“A martial-arts training hall, especially one for Japanese disciplines.”