Kendama is more than just tricks and competition, it’s a culture with its own language. If you’re new to kendama, have ever been to a kendama event, or watched a kendama video and wondered what players mean when they say these words, this guide is for you. Understanding kendama slang helps you communicate with other players, follow competitions, and feel more connected to the community.
Below is a complete kendama slang dictionary designed to educate new players and serve as a reference for experienced ones. These are the terms you’ll see used most often in kendama YouTube videos, Instagram captions, competitions, and jams. Some of these terms may be regional, so you might have never heard them before today.
Honed – The feeling when tricks are landing comfortably and effortlessly.
Hone – To practice or refine a skill.
Dialed – Extremely consistent; landing tricks repeatedly with little effort.
Banger – A very difficult or impressive trick deserving respect.
Sesh – Any kendama session, solo or with others.
Jam – Same as sesh, playing kendama solo or with others.
Stoked – Generally excited or happy.
Hyped – Excited or looking forward to something.
Hype – Cool, exciting, or impressive.
Hype Someone Up – to encourage someone.
Grind – The effort and repetition required to land or learn a trick.
Lace – To land a trick (often cleanly).
Shred – To land hard tricks or play intensely for a long time.
Slay – To land difficult tricks successfully.
Slayer – A highly skilled player known for hard tricks and competition success.
Squad – A group of kendama players.
Soft – Easy or low-effort trick.
Flow – Smooth, fluid, visually appealing movement while playing.
Steeze – Style, swagger, and effortless control while playing.
Insta – A trick that contacts briefly; short for “instant.”
Cop – To buy or acquire something.
OG – Original; someone or something respected from early days.
Tech – Short for technical; mechanically difficult tricks.
Dank – Sick, awesome, or extremely good.
Setup – A kendama.
Honed Setup – A kendama that feels good for landing tricks easier.
Turb – Short for turbulence; when a UFO or stall isn’t fully flat.
Dama Lag – Post-event paralysis where players keep playing instead of moving on.
First T – Landing a trick first try.
Dead On – Ken and tama weights are perfectly matched.
Clean – When the rotation on a trick is perfect, or it is landed without touching the player's hand.
Sketchy – When a player lands the trick messy or somehow clutched the spike.
Clipped Up – When a player lands a trick on camera.
Drop – When a new kendama is releasing on a website or at an event.
Locked In – When a stall or balance trick is extremely easy to do.
Lofty – A trick that goes really high, or with a lot of hang time in the air.
Heavy / Light – How the kendama feels during play, regardless of actual weight.
Unlocked – Landing a trick for the first time.
Unlocked the Tech – Understanding and figuring out the mechanics of how a trick works.
Spam – Repeating tricks many times in a combo such as tons of instas, taps, and juggles especially.
Line – A combo or sequence of tricks.
Combo – Multiple tricks landed consecutively.
Flow State – When everything feels automatic and smooth.
Butter – Extremely smooth play.
Nasty – Shockingly good or difficult trick.
Heat – High-level tricks, new kendamas, or simply cool.
Gas – Encouragement or hype from others, or simply cool.
Cooked – Physically or mentally exhausted from playing too much.
Learning kendama slang helps players communicate more clearly, follow competitions, and understand progression. Whether someone says they’re grinding a tech banger, clipped up, or finally unlocked the tech on a trick, this shared language keeps the kendama community connected.
Slang also reflects how kendama is played today, focused on creativity, consistency, style, and flow. From being locked in during a sesh to reaching a true flow state, these words describe experiences every kendama player goes through.
You’ll see kendama slang used constantly across social media, competition commentary, and event recaps. Phrases like first T, dead on, honed setup, and dama lag are part of everyday kendama conversations. Understanding these terms makes it easier to engage with other players and feel at home in the scene.
Whether you’re just starting your kendama journey or have been shredding for years, knowing kendama slang gives you a deeper appreciation for the culture behind the tricks. Save this kendama slang dictionary as a reference, share it with new players, and use it to stay connected as you hone your skills and keep the grind going.
If you’re looking to improve faster, get more dialed, or find a setup that feels dead on, keep exploring our blog for guides, trick lists, and kendama education.
