Seme: pressure before the cut
Seme (迫) is the pressure you put on the other person before the shinai moves to cut. It is not a stamp, and it is not leaning in. Hong Kong nidan exams begin to look for whether you can create a chance, not only answer one.
Three layers
Spirit: you intend a target and the partner feels it. Sword: the kensen holds the centre so their tip cannot rest. Body: a small step or a still, heavy kamae closes the feeling of distance. All three without a wild swing.
Why nidan looks for it
Shodan can be correct basics. Nidan is asked to lead some of the exchange. If every cut is a copy of your partner’s opening, examiners see reaction without seme. The Hong Kong notice still decides eligibility and the kata set.
HKKA exam note
This page follows widely published FIK and AJKF practice. Eligibility, which kata are set, the place, and the scoring in Hong Kong follow the current notice of the Kendo Association of Hong Kong, China.
A beginner start
In uchikomi, pause in issoku-itto-no-maai until your partner’s hands move, then cut. Do not hunt. In kakari-geiko, keep the first cut honest so the pressure is real. Ask a senior to say when your tip is dead.
A common mistake
Stamping, shouting, or crashing chests is not seme. Tsubazeriai is what happens when both tips die. Seme is the moment before that, when one person still owns the centre. Copying a champion’s lean will not create it.
Frequently asked questions
- Is seme only for dan grades?
- You can learn the feeling early, in kamae and uchikomi. Exams ask for it more clearly from nidan.
- Does a strong seme mean I should always attack?
- No. Seme can also draw their cut so you answer with oji-waza.