Judo referees communicate entirely through Japanese verbal commands and standardised hand signals — a system that must be instantly understood by athletes, coaches, and officials regardless of nationality. At the Paris 2024 Olympics and IJF World Tour events, the same signals are used globally, making the referee’s language universally readable once you know what each gesture and call means. This guide covers every referee signal used in competitive judo, from the match-opening call to the match-ending declaration.
- Judo uses standardised Japanese verbal commands paired with specific hand gestures — the same system is used at all IJF events worldwide.
- The IJF updated referee signals in 2022–2024 to improve clarity, particularly for penalty calls.
- Ippon: one arm raised fully overhead. Waza-ari: one arm extended laterally at shoulder height.
- Shido (penalty): the referee points at the penalised athlete. Hansoku-make: one arm extended down at an angle toward the penalised athlete.
- Match start is “Hajime!”; match pause is “Matte!”; match end is “Sore-Made!”
Referee Signals for Scoring
Scoring signals are the most important for spectators to recognise — they communicate the decisive moments of any judo match. According to the IJF’s official refereeing guidelines, each score has a distinct gesture designed to be unambiguous from any angle of the mat.
| Score | Japanese Term | Hand Signal | What It Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ippon | 一本 | One arm raised fully overhead, palm forward | Full point — match ends immediately |
| Waza-ari | 技あり | One arm extended laterally at shoulder height, palm down | Half point — match continues |
| Waza-ari awasete ippon | 技あり合わせて一本 | First waza-ari gesture, then ippon gesture | Two waza-ari combined = match ends |
Groundwork and osaekomi signals
| Call | Japanese | Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Osaekomi | 押さえ込み | Arm extended forward, pointing down toward athletes, palm facing down | Hold down begun — clock starts |
| Toketa | 解けた | Both arms swing from pointed position outward | Hold broken — clock stops |
The osaekomi gesture is maintained as long as the pin continues — the referee holds the pointing arm in position while the scoreboard clock counts. The moment the pin is broken, the toketa signal is made immediately and the clock freezes. The accumulated time determines whether waza-ari (10-19 seconds) or ippon (20 seconds) is awarded.
Referee Signals for Penalties
Penalty signals communicate infractions and their severity. The IJF introduced updated penalty gestures in 2022–2024 to make the distinction between shido and hansoku-make clearer to athletes, coaches, and spectators, particularly via broadcast.
| Penalty | Japanese | Signal | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shido | 指導 | Index finger of closed fist pointed at penalised athlete | Minor penalty; 3rd shido = hansoku-make |
| Hansoku-make | 反則負け | Arm extended downward at an angle toward the penalised athlete | Disqualification — opponent wins by ippon |
Judogi and position adjustment signals
| Call | Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Judogi adjustment | Both hands crossed at belt height, palms facing inward (left over right) | Athletes must fix uniforms before resuming |
| Medical call | Face toward medical table, wave arm from table direction toward injured athlete | Medical staff enter the mat |
Match Control Commands and Signals
These signals control the flow of the match — starting it, pausing it, and ending it. Every command is verbal in Japanese, often accompanied by a hand gesture.
| Command | Japanese | Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hajime | 始め | Downward sweeping arm motion between athletes | “Begin” — match starts or resumes |
| Matte | 待て | Arm extended forward, palm facing outward (stop gesture) | “Wait/Stop” — match paused |
| Sore-Made | それまで | Arm raised horizontally across body | “That is all” — end of match/time |
| Sono-Mama | そのまま | Both palms pressed downward toward athletes | “Freeze” — hold current position (used at period end or during ne-waza pause) |
| Yoshi | よし | Clap or forward beckoning motion | “Resume” — match restarts from frozen position |
Declaring the winner
At the end of the match — whether by ippon, accumulated waza-ari, shido/penalty, or time — the referee returns to their starting position and raises one arm in the direction of the winning athlete. The gesture is extended and held while the athlete acknowledges the decision and both athletes bow. At IJF World Tour events, the electronic scoreboard simultaneously displays the winning athlete’s name and the method of victory (ippon, waza-ari, hansoku-make, etc.).
Signal for entering golden score
When regulation time ends level (neither athlete holds a scoring advantage), the referee calls “Sore-Made!” to pause the match, then signals “Sono-Mama” to freeze the athletes’ positions. After a brief reset — athletes return to their starting lines, any judogi adjustments are made — the referee calls “Hajime!” to begin the golden score period. No special announcement is made for the golden score period itself; the transition is visible from the reset clock on the scoreboard.
The fastest way to learn referee signals is to watch a full judo match with the sound on and track each Japanese call against its corresponding gesture. Three signals are worth prioritising: the sharp “Matte!” call (which freezes the action), the raised arm of ippon (which ends it), and the pointing finger of shido (which shapes its entire strategic texture). Master those three and the rest of judo’s refereeing vocabulary becomes much more accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “Hajime” mean in judo?
Hajime (始め) means “Begin.” The referee calls it to start the match and to restart it after any pause. It is accompanied by a downward sweeping arm motion between the two athletes.
What does “Matte” mean in judo?
Matte (待て) means “Wait” or “Stop.” The referee calls it to pause the match — when athletes go out of bounds, when a judogi needs adjustment, when a medical issue arises, or when ne-waza stagnates. The signal is an outstretched arm with palm facing forward.
How does a referee signal ippon vs waza-ari?
Ippon: one arm raised fully overhead with palm facing forward. Waza-ari: one arm extended laterally at shoulder height with palm facing down. Both are called verbally (“Ippon!” or “Waza-ari!”) simultaneously with the hand signal.
What is “Sono-Mama” in judo?
Sono-Mama (そのまま) means “Freeze” — both athletes must hold their exact position until “Yoshi!” is called to resume. It is used at the end of regulation time when the match ends in a tie, and sometimes during ne-waza to halt ground fighting without losing the athletes’ positions.
When did the IJF update judo referee signals?
The IJF updated referee gestures in 2022–2024, with new standardised signals for shido and hansoku-make penalties in particular, designed to make penalty calls clearer to athletes and spectators watching on broadcast.