dojo

American  

[doh-joh] / ˈdoʊ dʒoʊ /

noun

plural

dojos

1. a school or practice hall where karate, judo, or other martial arts are taught.

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dojo British  

/ ˈdəʊdʒəʊ /

noun

1. a room or hall for the practice of martial arts

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Etymology

Origin of dojo

1940–45; < Japanese dōjō Buddhist seminary, drill hall < MChin transliteration of Sanskrit bodhi-maṇḍa literally, seat of wisdom (equivalent to Chinese dàochǎng )

Explanation

A dojo is a place where people practice judo, karate, or another Japanese martial art. In Japanese, dōjō means "place of the Way," and the earliest dojos were areas within Buddhist temples where immersive training occurred. This included the martial art of kendo, but also meditation practice. Today Zen Buddhists are more likely to refer to a meditation hall as a zen-do. In Japan, training for many physical practices (like weightlifting and wrestling) happens in a dojo, as well as for martial arts like aikido and jujitsu.

Example Sentences

Sensei Gerry Blanck has resumed karate lessons after his home and his dojo in Pacific Palisades burned.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 1, 2026

On Jan. 7, Springer planned to teach a kids’ class at Blanck’s dojo.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2025

The Whittier dojo, KnuckleHead Martial Arts, is where the KnuckleHeadz code gets practical.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2025

No home, no library, no stores, no kids' karate dojo, no theatre, no community centre.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2025

One Saturday in late November, when I was working with Samira, I didn’t notice who had just entered the dojo.

From "Maybe He Just Likes You" by Barbara Dee