Aikido: A Japanese martial art.

Akido: Incorrect word for Aikido.

AoI: Abbreviation for Arts of Invisibility.

APM: Abbreviation for Attacks (or Actions) per Melee

Arts of Invisibility: One of the standard Martial Art Power categories available in N&S.

Atemi: One of the standard Martial Art Power categories available in N&S.

Attack/Action Per Melee: The number of actions or attacks that a character has in a 15 second (in-game) period.

Attack From Behind: A Sneak Attack performed on a target that cannot be defended against normally (some abilities and powers negate being unable to defend).

Automatic/Auto: A move or action that does not cost an Attack/Action Per Melee.

Automatic Dodge: A dodge that does not (except in N&S) cost an Attack/Action Per Melee to use.

Automatic Kick: Some Palladium games give an "Automatic Kick Attack" to the skills Gymnastics and/or Acrobatics, this does not denote no cost in attacks per melee.

Automatic Parry: The standard parry of most characters trained in hand to hand combat/martial arts, it does not cost an Attack/Action Per Melee.

BB/T: Abbreviation for Body Block/Tackle.

BF/T: Abbreviation for Body Flip/Throw.

BH (or BHE): Abbreviation for Body Hardening Exercises.

Body Hardening Exercise: A Martial Art Power used to increase a character's physical skills and attributes.

Body Block/Tackle: A type of combat move.

Body Flip/Throw: A type of combat move.

Cantonese: One of the common dialects of the Chinese language.

Chi Mastery (abilities): Martial Art Powers that manipulate Chi.

Chi Skill: Martial Art Powers that manipulate chi, that are not Chi Mastery Abilities. These are typically other Martial Art Powers that use chi in some way, such as Chi Zoshiki (Mystic Invisibility) and Zanshin.

Chi: Essentially the energy of life that flows through everyone and everything.

Chi Multiplier: A multiplier that typically doubles the chi of the character. If the character has more than one Chi Multiplier from two different styles, at the same level of advancement, they only receive one multiplier, not both.

Chuan Fa: Chinese for "Fist Way"

Combat Range: The distance hand to hand combat occurs at, there are three different combat ranges, grappling, combat, and long. Long Range should not be confused with Long-Range Attack.

Combination: A combat move that typically consists of two actions performed as one attack.

Critical: A particularly effective attack which does double (sometimes more) damage and typically requires a natural number to occur.

d#: Improper way of listing dice in Palladium games (i.e. 3d6).

D#: Proper way of listing dice in Palladium games (i.e. 3D6).

Discipline of Dishonor: A form of alignment (Miscreant or Diabolic) where the character misuses honor or scorns the whole concept.

Discipline of Honor: A form of alignment (Principled, Unprincipled, Scrupulous, or Aberrant) where the character has a strong sense of personal honor.

Disrupted Chi: Chi that has been changed by an outside force. This includes Dim Mak and Negative Chi attacks. Such characters will typically have zero or no Chi.

-Do: Japanese suffix for "way"

Dobok: Korean martial arts uniform, similar to the Japanese Do-gi.

Erick Wujcik: Creator of Ninjas & Superspies and Mystic China, as well as many other role-playing games. Pronounced "Woo-gic".

EW: Common abbreviation for Erick Wujcik.

Exclusive: Means that the martial art is only available as a Primary style.

External: Refers to schools or styles that work on improving the body.

Form: In N&S, martial arts are called forms. However, since Kata are also forms, this is a somewhat inaccurate usage, and the more correct 'style' is preferred.

Fukenese: Another common Chinese dialect.

Game Master: The person who controls the "world" and runs the game.

Gi/Do-gi: Japanese/Okinawan martial arts uniform for karate.

GM: Abbreviation for Game Master.

Grappling Range: This is when character's are right on top of one another. Just about all attacks are possible, except for certain kicks.

Hand to Hand: A form of combat where the character's fight either unarmed or with melee weapons.

Hard: A style that uses straight, muscular movements.

Hepburn Romanization: The most common form of Japanese romanization.

Hiragana: Japanese phonetic characters, typically considered as a "cursive" script.

Hold: A combat move where the character attempts to grab and immobilize their opponent.

HtoH (also HtH, HTH, others): Abbreviation for Hand to Hand.

Ideograms: Characters based on pictoral representations of the word or words.

Internal: A school or style that stresses mental and spiritual training.

-Jitsu: A Japanese suffix improperly used to represent -Jutsu.

Jui-jitsu: A common misspelling of the word jujutsu.

Jujutsu: A Japanese martial art.

-Jutsu: A Japanese suffix denoting "techniques", "art" or "method."

Kana: Combined name of both Katakana and Hiragana, the Japanese phonetic alphabets.

Kanji: Japanese name for Chinese ideograms.

Karate: "Empty Hand" A Japanese word describing a type of martial arts.

Kata: Style, type, pattern, form or prearranged motions, used as a beginning point from where countless variations emerge.

Katakana: Japanese phonetic characters, typically used for loan words and foreign words.

Katas: Improper pluralization of Kata.

Kempo: Old Hepburn Romanization of Kenpo, Japanese for Chuan Fa, or "Fist Way"

Kenpo: Modified Hepburn Romanization for the Japanese word for Chuan Fa.

Knockdown: The combat term for getting knocked down, falling, or getting knocked back dozens of yards/meters.

Knockout: A combat term where the victim is knocked unconscious.

KO: Abbreviation for Knockout.

KO/Stun: A combat term where the victim is either knocked unconscious or temporarily dazed.

Kung Fu: Chinese martial art.

Kunrei Romanization: Official romanization of Japanese, in Japan.

LAB: Abbreviation for Level Advancement Bonus.

Level Advancement Bonus: A bonus, or bonuses, gained as a character advances in level.

Lock: A combat move similar to a hold, except that the victim cannot escape unharmed when it is successfully applied. Also called Joint Lock.

Long Range Attack: An attack performed by using a weapon from a great distance. This is often a form of Sneak Attack.

Long Range: The farthest of the combat ranges. It means the opponents are roughly ten feet apart. Only Leap and Jumping attacks can be performed from this range. (Note: Missile weapons, and long reaching weapons such as spears and polearms can also be used from this range.)

Maintain Balance: A defense against knockdown, this combat move is considered an Escape Move.

Mandarin: The main Chinese dialect.

MAP: Abbreviation for Martial Art Power.

Martial Art Form: A style or kata of martial arts.

Martial Art Technique: A type of Martial Art power that includes secret and spectacular skills.

Martial Art Power: A special skill or ability that allows a practitioner of a martial art to do extraordinary things in combat.

Martial Art Skill: A term that appears, though is little defined in N&S. Martial Art Skill is completely interchangeable with Martial Art Power.

Martial Art Style: Any of several arts of combat and self-defense.

MAT: Abbreviation for Martial Art Techniques.

MC: Abbreviation for Mystic China.

Modified Hepburn Romanization: A form of Japanese romanization that appeared after 1983. The only change is the use of the 'n' character in Japanese, before the letter's 'b', 'p', and 'n'. Prior to 1983 words with this letter combination replaced the 'n' with an 'm'. After 1983, the 'n' remains the same.

Mystic China Sourcebook: They semi-mythical sourcebook hinted at in Mystic China, Erick Wujcik has stated that he will eventually get around to writing it.

Mystic China: The one and only sourcebook for Ninjas & Superpsies.

N&S: Correct abbreviation of Ninjas & Superspies.

N&SS, NaSS, nass, nss, NSS, NS&S: Incorrect abbreviations of Ninjas & Superspies.

Natural Roll: The result when rolling a twenty-sided die , before any bonuses or modifiers are added. Special attacks and modifiers to attack typically require a natural roll to succeed.

Natural 20: A 20 rolled on a D20 without any modifiers added.

Negative Chi: Also called Yin Chi, this is the opposite of Positive (Yang) Chi, which is typically found in all living creatures. Most creatures cannot heal themselves when possessing negative chi. Negative Chi is associated with the dead, darkness, and light of the moon.

Negative Chi Infection: A form of Chi Disruption, this is where the person is 'infected' with Negative Chi, typically as a result of Chi Combat.

Ninja: Semi-mythical Japanese class. Ninja were used as mercenaries, assassins, spies, counter-intelligence, and special operations troops. Ninja is correct for both singular and plural usage.

Ninjas & Superspies: Game of martial arts and espionage created by Erick Wujcik and published by Palladium Books.

Ninjas: Commonly seen incorrect pluralization of Ninja.

Ninjitsu: Common misspelling of Ninjutsu.

Ninjutsu: Japanese martial art of the ninja.

non-Exclusive: A style which can be taken as either a Primary or Secondary style.

P/I: Abbreviation for Pin/Incapacitate.

P.P.E. (Potential Psychic Energy): Mystical energy that exists in all living creatures that is the source of magic, not to be confused with Chi.

Paired Weapons: Weapons used in both hands, this also refers to a Weapon Proficiency for using paired weapons, and a hand to hand combat ability.

Pin/Incapacitate: A combat move where the attacker grapples the victim attempting to immobilize them.

Pinyin Romanization: One of the common forms of Chinese Romanization.

Positive Chi: Also called Yang Chi. Chi which powers living things and is usually associated with sunlight.

Primary: This is the first style chosen by a character. Exclusive styles can only be Primary styles, while non-Exclusive styles can be Primary or Secondary.

Rate of Fire: The number of attacks of a missile weapon, typically listed under the Weapon Proficiency for that weapon.

ROF: Abbreviation for Rate of Fire.

Romaji: Japanese words written using english characters.

Romanization: Words from other languages written using english characters.

Secondary: This can be any style or styles the character selects after selecting their initial style. Exclusive styles cannot be Secondary styles.

SK: Abbreviation for Special Kata.

Skill Cost: In N&S this term denotes the number of years studying a martial art style requires.

Sneak Attack: An attack from ambush that results in the ambusher getting initiative and the defender not being able to defend against the first attack of that melee round.

Soft: A style that uses circular deflecting movements.

Special Katas: Martial Art Powers that are essentially rigid dances or formalized routines.

Style: The preferred method of referring to a type of martial art.

Superspies: Spies that are somewhat better than in real life.

Superspy: A spy that is larger than life, through martial arts training, cybernetics, or skills.

TMF: Abbreviation for Transient Maneuvering Factor.

Transient Maneuvering Factor: Mentioned only in N&S, this vehicle combat term is described fully in TMNT Guide to the Universe.

Two Attacks For Living: A somewhat dubiously regarded rule that exists in many Palladium games, where characters with a form of hand to hand combat miraculously gain two more attacks. It DOES NOT exist for N&S/MC style martial arts.

Wade-Giles Romanization: Another common form of Chinese Romanization.

Weapon Kata: A Special Kata that allows the bonuses from a Weapon Proficiency to be used with the bonuses from that martial art style.

Weapon Proficiency: A skill that teaches a character how to use a type of weapon.

WK : Abbreviation for Weapon Kata.

WP: Abbreviation for Weapon Proficiency. Also W.P.

Wujcik Romanization: The somewhat bizarre Chinese romanization Erick Wujcik uses in Mystic China and Ninjas & Superspies. It is a method simple to him that uses 'common and familiar' English versions of the word, combined with Chinese-sounding substitutes.

Zenjorike: The 'official' spelling of the Martial Art Power category created by Erick Wujcik to represent superpowers.

Zenjoriki: A commonly seen alternate spelling of Zenjorike.