What do the referee's commands mean in ju-jitsu fighting?
I · Intermediate · The match · 1 of 3"Hajime" starts and restarts the match, and "Mate" stops it and sends the fighters back to their marks. "Sonomama" freezes them where they are, usually on the ground, so that the referee can give a penalty. "Yoshi" then sets them going again from the same position.
How it works
- Hajime: begin, at the start and after every "Mate".
- Mate: stop. The fighters reset their kit and return to the starting positions.
- When "Mate" is called: a fighter leaves the fighting area in part 1 or 2, both leave it in part 3, contact is lost, a pin has run its time, a fighter taps, a penalty is given in part 1 or someone is hurt.
- Sonomama: freeze. The fighters may not move.
- When "Sonomama" is called: to give a warning or penalty in part 2 or part 3.
- Yoshi: carry on, from the same position.
- Osae-komi and toketa: the calls that start and end a pin.
- Resetting the kit: a fighter may be given 15 extra seconds, and repeated delay is a foul.
- The bow: to the referees and then to each other before the match, and to each other and then the referee after it.
The glossary has the hajime, mate, sonomama and yoshi, the osae-komi, the toketa, the referee gestures, the referee team and the part 3.
Tricky cases
The referee calls "Sonomama" and one fighter tightens their grip. Is that allowed?
No. Any attempt to improve a grip or position after "Sonomama" is a major foul.
A fighter puts a foot outside the area for a moment and steps back. Is the match stopped?
No. A brief step into the safety area with an immediate return is not a foul, and the match is not stopped.
A fighter throws a strike a moment after "Mate". What is that?
A forbidden action, which is a minor foul. Acting after "Mate" or "Sonomama" is on the list.
Where does the match restart after "Mate"?
In part 1, with the fighters standing at their marks about two metres apart.
Why the rule exists
A full stop on the ground would throw away a position that one fighter worked to gain, so the rules give the referee a way to pause without resetting. The standing stop, "Mate", is used where a restart costs nobody anything.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mate | Full stop; restart standing in part 1 | JJIF Fighting 5.2; 4.3 |
| Sonomama | Freeze in place, in part 2 or 3 | JJIF Fighting 5.3 |
| Yoshi | Resume in the same position | JJIF Fighting 5.4; 5.5 |
| Moving after "Sonomama" | Major foul | JJIF Fighting 7.2.1 |
From the rule book
Ju-Jitsu International Federation, Ju-Jitsu Fighting Rulebook (version 4.0, approved October 2022), Sections 4 and 5 and Appendix V. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the federation's Ju-Jitsu Fighting Rulebook.