Vocabulary

Basic Vocabulary

Shin – longest most powerful stem usually. Symbolizes heaven 

Soe – middle length stem, subordinate to heaven. Symbolizes man

Hikae – usually a flower and shortest of the three stems. Symbolizes earth 

Kenzan – metal pin frog (comes in a variety of sizes and shapes)

Suiban – shallow container. Usually no higher than 3 ½ inches. Can be circular, oblong, rectangle, triangle or other shape. Best for it not to be a square. The height should be such that you can see the water in the arrangement.

Nageire – cylinder vase. Can have a square mouth

Compote – vase with feet. 

Hasami – Ikebana scissors

Jushi – filler materials. Subordinate stems

Saba jushi – smallest filler materials to cover the lip of a container. Especially Nagiere.

Mechanics Vocabulary

Jumonji-dome – cross bar support mechanic (almost always made out of branch material – I have never seen it made out of anything else, but don’t want to commit). Consists of two sticks inserted in the top of a Nageire vase to make an x. 

Tat-no-soegi-dome (called soegi dome) – vertical mechanic  (almost always made out of branch material – I have never seen it made out of anything else, but don’t want to commit). Consists of 1 stick reaching over the top of the Nageire vase mouth about an inch. Split into two from the top down about 2 inches. 

Jika-dome – direct fixing. No mechanics other than the container. 

Arrangement types

Hongatte  – ordinary  shape (this can me the left or right side – depending on the variation type)

Gyakugatte – reversed shape of hongatte. 

Nemoto – arrangement showing off starting line.

Morimono – arrangement using vegetables and fruit with no water. 

Maze-zashi – an arrangement with 5 or more different types of materials.

Kabuwake – 2 kenzans

Hana Kubari – Materials are used to create mechanics. The mechanic is an integral part of the design. (Mami School of Ikebana – Not Sogetsu)