English Terms -

Bight = A U shaped bend or fold in the rope. In typical rope bondage, a bight is formed by finding the mid point of the rope and folding it in half. The center fold of the rope is now the bight and the ends are the tails.

Cored = This means the rope has a core inside it. Some are stiff, almost solid cores, other have silky fibers inside that are then braided over. For the most part these are not idea for erotic bondage because it hard to tie knots and puts more pressure on the skin surface. Some ropes can be de-corded and become hollow cores and came be used for bondage but onced de corded they tend to be weaker also.

Cotton = A commonly used natural material for rope

Hollow = means the rope has no center, so it O shaped, like a garden hose.

Manila / Sisal / Hemp / Jute / Coir = Natural fibers used in traditional Japanese rope bondage. Unfinished they can be ruff, and if finished get a smooth and golden brown surface.

MFP = Multi Filament Polypropylene

Mummification = A specialized kind of bondage in which the whole body is secured under layers of restraining fabric, latex, leather, tape, plasticwrap, shrink wrap, rope or even saran wrap (clingfilm). The aim is to completely immobilize the subject.

Nylon = Most common synthetic rope used for bondage in the US.

Rope = The most versatile, most easily obtainable and cheapest toy and can be used by anyone once a few simple knots are learned.

Solid Braid = Rope that is made with a solid braid (tons of strains woven together)

Standing part = The part of a rope that is not actively in use in making a knot or tying

Slip knot = a knot that is easily released. It is set by pulling a bight through the final turn of the knot, rather than the entire tail, thus a tug of the tails releases the knot.

Tail = A rope ends or the ends that stick out of a knot.

Twisted = A rope that generally has 3 sets of fiber twisted together like the picture below.

Japanese Terms -

Agura = crossed leg position (like seated lotus position)

Asa or Asanawa = traditional Japanese bondage and torture rope made of hemp

Dojo = Literally, 'Place of the Way', or place of learning. (a school)

Dorei = Slave

Gakko = School

Gei = artistic skill

Gyakuebi = Japanese Hog Tie

Hojojutsu = Traditional style of military incarceration and torture used in feudal Japan by samurai and police.

JuJun = Submissive

Kaikyaku Kani = Crab Leg

Karada = means "body", refers to torso/body bondage

Kikkou = Tortoise shell body harness

Kinbaku-bi = the art of erotic/sensual Japanese rope bondage (formed early 20th century) although another source says that this is specifically "torture bondage"

Kotori = suspention bondage

Mata Nawa or Sakuranbo = crotch bondage (the cherry)

Musubime = knot

Musunde = tying a knot

Nawa = rope

Nawashi = (general) Rope bondage artist.
(purist) Rope bondage artist who only uses natural [traditional] forms of bondage, wood beams and hemp rope etc, no metal.

Nawa Sensei = Rope Bondage Master/teacher.

Sensei = Literally, 'One who has gone before'. (a Teacher/Master)

Shibari = Japanese term used mostly by westerns (and now some Japanese) to refer to Japanese style rope bondage. It means "tie" or "bind" but in the western is used as "the action of tying someone up"

Shibaritai = a top indicating his/her desire for bondage action

Shibararetai = a sub indicating his/her desire for bondage action

Shinju / Mune Nawa= breast bondage (the pearls)

Tori = One who demonstrates an action or technique.

Tsuri = "to hang", partial rope suspension

Uke = passive partner in the demonstration of technique. (the bottom)

Unsui = Literally, 'cloud and water'. In Japanese it means seeker of truth. (a student)

Ushirote Munenawa = Arm and Chest bondage

Bondage Books -

The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage by Midori, Craig Morey (four stars! The best book of it's kind! Get one!)

Jay Wiseman's Erotic Bondage Handbook by Jay Wiseman (illustrations are harder to follow but good 3 stars)

Bridgett Harrington has a brand new book out that is really wonderful too! I got mine hot off the presses and LOVE IT!! Click here for info on it! Shibari You Can Use!