Hello, I’m Kodak.
When you first watch sumo, you may hear commentators call a wrestler a rikishi.
It is not one specific rank. A beginner in the lowest division and a yokozuna at the top can both be called rikishi.
Rikishi (力士) means a sumo wrestler, especially a wrestler in professional sumo.
The word literally suggests a “person of strength.”
Professional rikishi are arranged into six divisions:
makuuchi, juryo, makushita, sandanme, jonidan, and jonokuchi.
Only wrestlers in the top two divisions—makuuchi and juryo—are called sekitori.
This article explains the meaning and pronunciation of rikishi, the complete sumo ranking system, and the differences between rikishi, sumotori, o-sumō-san, and sekitori.
For a wider introduction to the sport, see our beginner’s guide to sumo vocabulary.
- 1 What Does Rikishi Mean in Japanese?
- 2 The Kanji Meaning of 力士
- 3 How to Pronounce Rikishi
- 4 Is Rikishi a Sumo Rank?
- 5 Sumo Wrestler Ranks in Order
- 6 Ranks Inside the Makuuchi Division
- 7 What Do the Six Sumo Divisions Mean?
- 8 What Is Maezumo?
- 9 Rikishi vs Sekitori: What Is the Difference?
- 10 Rikishi vs Sumotori vs O-Sumo-San
- 11 How Are Rikishi Ranked on the Banzuke?
- 12 How Do Rikishi Move Up or Down the Ranks?
- 13 How Many Bouts Does Each Rikishi Fight?
- 14 Do All Rikishi Use a Ring Name?
- 15 Why Does WWE Appear When You Search for Rikishi?
- 16 Natural Example Sentences with Rikishi
- 17 Common Beginner Mistakes
- 17.1 Mistake 1: Thinking Rikishi Is a Rank
- 17.2 Mistake 2: Calling Every Rikishi a Sekitori
- 17.3 Mistake 3: Treating Yokozuna as a Separate Division
- 17.4 Mistake 4: Thinking Jonokuchi Wrestlers Are Amateurs
- 17.5 Mistake 5: Assuming the WWE Name Has the Same Status as a Sumo Rank
- 17.6 Mistake 6: Adding an English Plural Ending Automatically
- 18 FAQ About Rikishi and Sumo Ranks
- 18.1 What does rikishi mean?
- 18.2 Is rikishi a rank in sumo?
- 18.3 What are the six sumo divisions?
- 18.4 What are the ranks in the makuuchi division?
- 18.5 What is the lowest sumo rank?
- 18.6 What is the difference between rikishi and sekitori?
- 18.7 What is the difference between rikishi and sumotori?
- 18.8 Is o-sumo-san the same as rikishi?
- 18.9 How does a rikishi get promoted?
- 18.10 How many matches does a rikishi fight?
- 18.11 Is WWE’s Rikishi a real sumo wrestler?
- 18.12 What is the plural of rikishi?
- 19 Related Sumo Vocabulary
- 20 Summary: Rikishi Meaning and Sumo Wrestler Ranks
- 21 References
What Does Rikishi Mean in Japanese?
Hiragana: りきし
Romaji: rikishi
Meaning: sumo wrestler; professional sumo wrestler
Older or broader meaning: a strong man, brave man, or powerful person
彼は力士です。
Kare wa rikishi desu.
He is a sumo wrestler.
多くの力士が稽古をしている。
Ōku no rikishi ga keiko o shite iru.
Many sumo wrestlers are training.
For an amateur participant, it is often clearer to say sumō senshu (相撲選手), meaning “sumo athlete,” depending on the context.
The Kanji Meaning of 力士
The word rikishi contains two kanji:
strength, power, physical force
士 (shi)
a person with a role or status; a man; a warrior or specialist in some compounds
力 + 士
⇒ a person of strength
⇒ a strong man
⇒ in modern sumo, a sumo wrestler
士 can be connected with warriors in some words, but it also appears in words for people with a role, qualification, or status.
For remembering 力士, the safest literal image is “a person of strength.”
Historically, 力士 was used more broadly for a powerful or brave person. Japanese dictionaries also record it as an abbreviation for 金剛力士 (Kongō rikishi), the muscular guardian figures often seen at Buddhist temple gates.
In a modern sports article, tournament broadcast, or sumo profile, however, rikishi almost always means a sumo wrestler.
How to Pronounce Rikishi
Hiragana: りきし
Romaji: rikishi
Mora: り・き・し (ri-ki-shi)
Pronounce the word in three short, fairly even beats:
Avoid making the first syllable very heavy. Keep the rhythm even: ri・ki・shi.
Is Rikishi a Sumo Rank?
No. Rikishi is a general category, not a position on the ranking chart.
All professional sumo wrestlers, regardless of rank
Yokozuna, ōzeki, sekiwake, komusubi, maegashira, juryo, etc.
The ranks or divisions held by individual rikishi
Every yokozuna is a rikishi.
But most rikishi are not yokozuna because yokozuna is only the highest rank.
“Rikishi” is like saying “professional sumo wrestler.”
“Yokozuna” is like naming that wrestler’s highest possible rank.
For a detailed explanation of the top rank, see What Does Yokozuna Mean in Sumo?
Sumo Wrestler Ranks in Order
Professional sumo has six main divisions. From highest to lowest, they are:
1. 幕内 (makuuchi)
Top division
↓
2. 十両 (juryo)
Second division
↓
3. 幕下 (makushita)
Third division
↓
4. 三段目 (sandanme)
Fourth division
↓
5. 序二段 (jonidan)
Fifth division
↓
6. 序ノ口 (jonokuchi)
Lowest ranked division
The six-name list shows the broad divisions. The makuuchi division is then divided into several ranks of its own.
Ranks Inside the Makuuchi Division
The top division contains five rank groups:
横綱 (yokozuna)
highest rank; grand champion
↓
大関 (ōzeki)
second-highest rank
↓
関脇 (sekiwake)
third-highest rank
↓
小結 (komusubi)
fourth-highest rank
↓
前頭 (maegashira)
the remaining wrestlers in the top division
This distinction is important because English explanations sometimes use “rank” and “division” loosely.
Yokozuna: The Highest Rank
A yokozuna stands at the top of professional sumo. The rank is associated with exceptional strength, dignity, and the special ceremonial rope worn during the yokozuna ring entrance.
Ōzeki: The Second-Highest Rank
An ōzeki is directly below yokozuna. A wrestler must first become an ōzeki before being considered for promotion to yokozuna.
Sekiwake and Komusubi
Sekiwake and komusubi are the two ranks below ōzeki. Together with ōzeki, they are commonly grouped among the titled ranks called sanyaku. Yokozuna is normally discussed alongside them at the top, although the historical use of the term can be more specific.
Maegashira
Most makuuchi wrestlers are maegashira. Their positions are numbered, such as Maegashira 1, Maegashira 2, and so on.
A highly ranked maegashira is more likely to face the strongest wrestlers near the top of the division.
What Do the Six Sumo Divisions Mean?
1. Makuuchi (幕内): The Top Division
Makuuchi contains sumo’s best-known wrestlers, including yokozuna, ōzeki, sekiwake, komusubi, and maegashira. The Japan Sumo Association sets the division’s regular capacity at 42 wrestlers.
・highest division
・contains the championship most international viewers follow
・includes all five top-rank groups
・its wrestlers are sekitori
2. Juryo (十両): The Second Division
Juryo is the second-highest division. Its formal name is jūmaime (十枚目), but juryo is the usual name in conversation and broadcasts.
Promotion from makushita to juryo is one of the biggest steps in a wrestler’s career because juryo wrestlers become sekitori and receive professional privileges and status not given to lower-ranked trainees.
・being recognized as a full-fledged sekitori
・receiving a monthly salary
・fighting on all 15 tournament days
・wearing a silk mawashi in official bouts
・performing a ceremonial ring entrance
・being addressed with the honorific ～関 (-zeki)
3. Makushita (幕下): The Final Stage Before Sekitori
Makushita is directly below juryo. Its full formal name is makushita nidanme (幕下二段目), though the shortened form is normally used.
The top makushita positions are especially competitive because promotion can move a wrestler across the major boundary into juryo.
However, they are below the salaried sekitori line and are officially treated as rikishi trainees.
4. Sandanme (三段目): The Fourth Division
Sandanme literally means “third level.” The name reflects the traditional position of the division on the written banzuke ranking sheet.
5. Jonidan (序二段): The Fifth Division
Jonidan is the division above jonokuchi. Many developing wrestlers spend time here while building technique, strength, and a winning record.
6. Jonokuchi (序ノ口): The Lowest Ranked Division
Jonokuchi is the lowest division shown on the regular banzuke. New wrestlers generally enter the ranked system here after completing the initial maezumō stage.
A wrestler can rise from jonokuchi through the divisions by producing winning records.
What Is Maezumo?
Maezumō (前相撲) is the introductory competition for new wrestlers who have passed the entry examination but do not yet hold a place on the regular banzuke.
new-wrestler stage before placement on the regular ranking chart
↓
Jonokuchi
the normal starting division on the banzuke
After the new-wrestler process, a wrestler can qualify to appear in jonokuchi on the next banzuke.
Rikishi vs Sekitori: What Is the Difference?
This is one of the most important distinctions in sumo vocabulary.
Any professional sumo wrestler, from jonokuchi to yokozuna
関取 (sekitori)
A rikishi ranked in either makuuchi or juryo
The Japan Sumo Association divides wrestlers into:
Makuuchi + juryo
Recognized as full-fledged salaried wrestlers
Rikishi trainees
Makushita + sandanme + jonidan + jonokuchi
It specifically refers to wrestlers in juryo and makuuchi. Calling a lower-division wrestler a sekitori would be factually incorrect.
At juryo, a rikishi gains salary, status, clothing privileges, attendants, a ceremonial entrance, and a full 15-bout tournament schedule.
Rikishi vs Sumotori vs O-Sumo-San
Several Japanese words can refer to a sumo wrestler, but their tone and range differ.
Standard and relatively formal term used in sports reporting, official profiles, and explanations
相撲取り (sumotori)
Literally “a person who does sumo”; an ordinary descriptive term for a sumo wrestler
お相撲さん (o-sumō-san)
Friendly, polite everyday expression; similar to “a sumo wrestler” said with warmth or respect
関取 (sekitori)
Only a wrestler in juryo or makuuchi
Use o-sumō-san in friendly everyday speech.
Use sekitori only when you know the wrestler is in juryo or makuuchi.
How Are Rikishi Ranked on the Banzuke?
The official ranking list is called the banzuke (番付). A wrestler’s position normally contains three types of information:
East or West
2. Rank or division
For example, ōzeki, maegashira, juryo, or makushita
3. Number
For example, Maegashira 3 or Makushita 10
東 (higashi) — East
前頭 (maegashira) — rank group
三枚目 (sanmaime) — number 3
⇒ East Maegashira 3
For example, East Maegashira 3 is ranked just above West Maegashira 3. But the difference is small, and either wrestler can win when they meet.
How Do Rikishi Move Up or Down the Ranks?
Most wrestlers rise or fall according to their tournament records.
more wins than losses
⇒ generally leads to promotion
負け越し (make-koshi)
more losses than wins
⇒ generally leads to demotion
For makuuchi and juryo wrestlers, an 8–7 record is the smallest normal winning record in a 15-bout tournament. For wrestlers in makushita and below, a 4–3 record is the smallest normal winning record because they usually fight seven bouts.
A winning record normally produces promotion, but the exact movement depends on the wrestler’s starting position, margin of wins, available places, and other wrestlers’ records.
The promotion and demotion rules for ōzeki are also more specialized than the ordinary win-loss pattern.
How Many Bouts Does Each Rikishi Fight?
Normally fight once per day
⇒ 15 bouts during a 15-day tournament
Makushita, sandanme, jonidan, and jonokuchi rikishi
Normally fight on seven of the tournament’s 15 days
⇒ 7 bouts in total
A lower-division wrestler usually competes approximately every other day rather than every day.
Do All Rikishi Use a Ring Name?
A sumo ring name is called a shikona (四股名).
the wrestler
Shikona
the name used by that wrestler in sumo
Many rikishi adopt a distinctive shikona connected with their stable, hometown, teacher, personal qualities, or an auspicious image. Some wrestlers begin their careers under their family name before adopting a new ring name.
However, English-language professional wrestling has used Rikishi as a performer’s ring name, which causes some search-result confusion.
Why Does WWE Appear When You Search for Rikishi?
WWE has a Hall of Fame performer whose ring name is Rikishi.
It does not mean that the performer was ranked on Japan’s official sumo banzuke.
rikishi = any professional sumo wrestler
WWE context
Rikishi = the ring name of one particular professional wrestler
Natural Example Sentences with Rikishi
兄は力士を目指しています。
Ani wa rikishi o mezashite imasu.
My older brother hopes to become a sumo wrestler.
その力士は幕下で優勝した。
Sono rikishi wa makushita de yūshō shita.
That wrestler won the makushita championship.
若い力士たちが朝から稽古をしている。
Wakai rikishi-tachi ga asa kara keiko o shite iru.
The young sumo wrestlers have been training since morning.
この力士の四股名は何ですか。
Kono rikishi no shikona wa nan desu ka?
What is this wrestler’s ring name?
十両に昇進して、ついに関取になった。
Jūryō ni shōshin shite, tsuini sekitori ni natta.
He was promoted to juryo and finally became a sekitori.
幕下以下の力士は通常、一場所に七番取る。
Makushita ika no rikishi wa tsūjō, hitobasho ni nanaban toru.
Rikishi in makushita and below normally fight seven bouts per tournament.
横綱はすべての力士の頂点に立つ。
Yokozuna wa subete no rikishi no chōten ni tatsu.
A yokozuna stands at the top of all rikishi.
外国出身の力士も多く活躍している。
Gaikoku shusshin no rikishi mo ōku katsuyaku shite iru.
Many foreign-born rikishi are also successful.
力士は相撲部屋で共同生活を送る。
Rikishi wa sumō-beya de kyōdō seikatsu o okuru.
Rikishi live communally in sumo stables.
勝ち越した力士は次の番付で昇進することが多い。
Kachi-koshita rikishi wa tsugi no banzuke de shōshin suru koto ga ōi.
Rikishi with winning records are often promoted on the next banzuke.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Mistake 1: Thinking Rikishi Is a Rank
rikishi = one particular level
Correct idea:
rikishi = any professional sumo wrestler
yokozuna, ōzeki, juryo, makushita, etc. = ranks or divisions
Mistake 2: Calling Every Rikishi a Sekitori
Only wrestlers in makuuchi and juryo are sekitori. Wrestlers in makushita and below are still rikishi, but not sekitori.
Mistake 3: Treating Yokozuna as a Separate Division
Yokozuna is the highest rank inside the makuuchi division.
Mistake 4: Thinking Jonokuchi Wrestlers Are Amateurs
Jonokuchi is the lowest regular professional division. Its wrestlers are still professional rikishi.
Mistake 5: Assuming the WWE Name Has the Same Status as a Sumo Rank
WWE’s Rikishi is a ring name. In Japanese sumo, rikishi is the general term for professional sumo wrestlers.
Mistake 6: Adding an English Plural Ending Automatically
Japanese nouns do not normally change for plural number. English sumo writing commonly uses rikishi for both one wrestler and several wrestlers.
two rikishi
many rikishi
FAQ About Rikishi and Sumo Ranks
What does rikishi mean?
Rikishi (力士) means a sumo wrestler, especially a wrestler in professional sumo. The kanji suggest a “person of strength.”
Is rikishi a rank in sumo?
No. Rikishi is the general word for a professional sumo wrestler. Yokozuna, ōzeki, sekiwake, komusubi, maegashira, juryo, and the lower divisions identify a wrestler’s position.
What are the six sumo divisions?
From highest to lowest, they are makuuchi, juryo, makushita, sandanme, jonidan, and jonokuchi.
What are the ranks in the makuuchi division?
From highest to lowest, the makuuchi ranks are yokozuna, ōzeki, sekiwake, komusubi, and maegashira.
What is the lowest sumo rank?
Jonokuchi is the lowest regular division on the banzuke. New wrestlers generally reach it after the introductory maezumo stage.
What is the difference between rikishi and sekitori?
Rikishi refers to every professional sumo wrestler. Sekitori refers only to wrestlers in the top two divisions, makuuchi and juryo.
What is the difference between rikishi and sumotori?
Both can mean sumo wrestler. Rikishi is the standard term often used in official and sports contexts, while sumotori is a more directly descriptive everyday word meaning a person who wrestles sumo.
Is o-sumo-san the same as rikishi?
They can refer to the same person. O-sumō-san is a friendly and respectful everyday expression, while rikishi is more neutral and formal.
How does a rikishi get promoted?
Most rikishi are promoted after achieving a winning tournament record and demoted after a losing record. The exact movement also depends on the wrestler’s position, score, available places, and other results.
How many matches does a rikishi fight?
Makuuchi and juryo rikishi normally fight 15 bouts per tournament. Rikishi in makushita and below normally fight seven.
Is WWE’s Rikishi a real sumo wrestler?
No. In WWE, Rikishi is a professional-wrestling ring name inspired by Japanese sumo terminology and imagery.
What is the plural of rikishi?
The form usually remains rikishi. You can say one rikishi, two rikishi, or many rikishi.
Related Sumo Vocabulary
力士 (rikishi) — professional sumo wrestler
関取 (sekitori) — wrestler in juryo or makuuchi
四股名 (shikona) — sumo ring name
番付 (banzuke) — official ranking list
相撲部屋 (sumō-beya) — sumo stable
稽古 (keiko) — training or practice
勝ち越し (kachi-koshi) — more wins than losses
負け越し (make-koshi) — more losses than wins
昇進 (shōshin) — promotion
降格 (kōkaku) — demotion
rikishi = professional sumo wrestler
banzuke = ranking list
sekitori = wrestler in the top two divisions
makuuchi = top division
yokozuna = highest rank
Once those are clear, the remaining divisions become much easier to place.
Rikishi, Sekitori, or O-sumo-san? 30-Second Check
Different words fit different wrestlers and situations. Answer two quick questions.
A full-fledged salaried wrestler; 力士 also works.
Not sekitori, even though still professional.
The safe, general term for any professional wrestler.
Neutral and standard.
Casual and respectful, said with warmth.
※ Rikishi is not a rank. Yokozuna, ozeki, and the six divisions describe where a rikishi stands.
Summary: Rikishi Meaning and Sumo Wrestler Ranks
The standard Japanese word for a professional sumo wrestler. It is not one particular rank.
● Literal image
力 means strength or power, and 士 represents a person or person of status: “a person of strength.”
● Six divisions
Makuuchi, juryo, makushita, sandanme, jonidan, and jonokuchi.
● Makuuchi ranks
Yokozuna, ōzeki, sekiwake, komusubi, and maegashira.
● Sekitori
A rikishi in makuuchi or juryo. Lower-division rikishi are not sekitori.
● Promotion
A winning record generally leads upward, while a losing record generally leads downward, although exact movement depends on the whole banzuke.
● WWE Rikishi
A professional-wrestling ring name, not a rank or general category in WWE.
Rikishi tells you what the person is—a professional sumo wrestler. The banzuke tells you where that wrestler stands.
References
- Kotobank: 力士 — dictionary meanings, older uses, and historical background.
- Japan Sumo Association: Find Rikishi — official banzuke categories and wrestler profiles.
- Japan Sumo Association: Six professional sumo divisions.
- Japan Sumo Association: Sekitori and rikishi trainees — makuuchi and juryo status and division capacities.
- Japan Sumo Association: Changes after promotion from makushita to juryo.
- Japan Sumo Association: Number of tournament bouts — 15 for makuuchi and juryo, normally seven below juryo.
- Japan Sumo Association: Tournament-day schedule and maezumo.
- Japan Sumo Association: Origins of the division names.
- Kotobank: 関取.
- Kotobank: 相撲取り.
- WWE: Rikishi profile — the professional-wrestling ring name.
