Most sources available on Saber combat forms only list 7. Three forms are paired, presumed to be the same school, or system, of saber combat but having a second variation. These three forms are the combination of Djem So and Shien, Niman and Jar Kai, and Juyo and Vaapad. Shien is believed to be an alternate variation of Djem So, Jar Kai a variation of Niman, and Vaapad a variation of Juyo. In truth the critical nuances that distinguish the form and "variation" more than merit recognizing these as separate forms in total. Where seven forms of lightsaber combat are the norm, ten should be.
Shii Cho – Balanced form of both offensive and defensive movements. Roughly every Force sensitive student was taught this form when first handed a laser sword. Transmitted by way of the Jar, two-person interactive flow drill, Shii Cho is where all Jedi training begins
Makashi – Aggressive form for one on one dueling, and characterized by the use of a curved-hilt laser sword to enable small Shien, circular parries, into the Shiak, thrust. Named after the use of the Maka, saber bind, used to maintain contact with the opponent's blade, Makashi is transmitted by way of the Sequence, a Jar that becomes a Djem.
Djem So – Ancient aggressive form of battlefield combat commonly associated with the practice of its followers using the Force to augment their strength and endurance, sometimes characterized by the use of the Trakata, igniting the blade with the first movement, attack or defense. Djem So is transmitted by way of the Djem, meaning destruction, a combative technique handed down by the survivors of the ancient wars.
Ataru – Defensive form of battlefield combat commonly associated with the practice of its followers using the Force to augment their speed and agility. Ataru, is one of the most acrobatic and impressive forms to behold. Ataru means to jump, and is transmitted by way of the Dulon, formal arrangement of several Djem strung together.
Soresu – Defensive form for one on one dueling, that gained immense popularity during the years of peace between the Old Republic and the rise of the Empire, characterized by the masterful use of timing and distance to defeat an opponent with the non lethal Shiim, controlled stop. Soresu is transmitted by way of the Velocity, a Djem that ends with both parties switching roles of attacker and receiver.
Shien – More recent form developed with the introduction of the galactic war, to combat the unpredictable style of the sith, closely resembling the older Soresu form it is based on, with the distinction of the use of the Maka, saber bind, used to maintain contact with the opponent's blade, and the heavy use of Sun Djem, disarming or destroying the opponent's weapon. Shien is transmitted by way of the Sequence, but unlike the Makashi Sequence, the Shien Sequence is a Velocity that becomes a Djem.
Niman – More a philosophy than a form of lightsaber combat, this was the form for Jedi in exile. Niman followers were just, if not more, able to defeat an armed enemy without any weapon. This form is characterized by the use of heavy Force attacks along with, or instead of, saber combat. Niman means to catch or capture and is transmitted by way of the Velocity.
Jar Kai – Aggressive form characterized by the use of two swords, often used to gain an advantage against a more skilled opponent by using the sword from a fallen comrade, and transmitted by the two man flow pattern it is named after, the Jar.
Juyo – Highly aggressive, almost purely attack oriented form, believed to be lost during the years of peace. Characterized by the use of the unique double-ended saber staff, like Ataru, Juyo is a highly acrobatic form. Juyo means to spin or turn, and is transmitted by way of the Dulon.
Vaapad – More recent form developed with the introduction of the galactic war, to combat the unpredictable fighting style of the sith, created in secret and never transmitted. Vaapad can now only be researched in the files of the Jedi archives, as the first generation being prepared to learn it was slaughtered in their youth in the attack on the home Jedi temple at Coruscant. Vaapad is characterized by the use of two swords, one short and one long. Vaapad was intended to be transmitted by way of the Djem.
Shii – stance, posture
Cho – first in a series, -, also a horizontal cut
Kai – double swords, having two weapons, =, also second in a series
Herf - third in a series, Taken from the symbol for the letter it represents, Herf is written with 3 horizontal lines
Dorn - fourth in a series, Taken from the 4th letter of the Aurebesh alphabet
Esk - fifth in a series, Taken from the 5th letter of the Aurebesh alphabet
Jar – two-person interactive flow drill exercise
Maka – saber bind, when two swords meet with equal force in opposing directions and arrive at a momentary stalemate
Sequence – portion of a Jar or Velocity that becomes a Djem
Djem – to destroy or kill, an exercise pattern where one party loses
Dulon – multiple Djems arranged in pattern dealing with several attackers, and the only transmission format that can be trained without a partner, also rear overhead Tai Cortay for a horizontal attack to the back
Velocity – Djem that ends with a reversal of roles between Trill and Xesh
Trill – The person acting as the aggressor in the Djem exercise, Taken from the symbol for the letter it represents, and meaning “to receive”, but can also mean to move backwards or retreat
Xesh – The person receiving the attack in the Djem exercise, Taken from the symbol for the letter it represents, and meaning “to go through, to live through an experience”, but can also mean to move forward or advance
So – having one weapon, single sword
Cresh – Reverse, in reference to an attack from behind or in reference to use of the reverse grip, taken from the symbol for the letter it represents, C, can also mean unexpected or surprised
Cresh So – reverse grip, single sword
Kai Cresh – double sword reverse grips
Kai Xe-Cresh – right hand forward grip, left hand reverse grip
Sun – right side, weapon arm: defensive/covering your right side, offensive/attacking opponent's right side
Moon – left side, free arm: defensive/covering your left side, offensive/attacking opponent's right side
Cha – high area, shoulder and head height
Mai – middle area, waste to shoulder level
Tai – low area, knee to waste level
Krenth – Kneeling position, Taken from the symbol for the letter it represents
Aurek – Outward, pushing away from one’s centerline, Taken from the symbol for the letter it represents, can also mean visible or unobstructed
Thesh – Inward, pulling in towards one’s centerline, Taken from the symbol for the letter it represents, Thesh can also mean hidden or obstructed
Sun Djem – the disarming of an opponent, destroying or removing the weapon, including by amputation of the wrist or arm holding the weapon
Vaapad – lit. to struggle against the unknown
Kessel Run – forward push drag
Pod Binder – replacement step
Hut Slide – Knee walking
Krenth Falling Leaf – Kneeling Jump to switch position
Xesh Tallon Roll – forward battle roll
Trill Tallon Roll – backward rolling escape
Ataru – to leap
Juyo – to spin, turn, rotate
Moon Juyo – left turn, counterclockwise pivot
Sun Juyo – right turn, clockwise pivot
Jung – 180% turn, about face
Jung Ma – 360% spin
Sai - downward vertical cut to opponent’s center line
Falling Leaf – Ataru to descend with a powerful Sai
Cho - horizontal cut, also first in a series
Sweep - upward vertical cut to opponent’s center line, to bisect opponent vertically in half
Mok - cut that crosses from one side to the other
Sok – Sai that rebounds back to the place it originated
Toe – Cho that rebounds back to the side it originated
Sep – Sweep that rebounds back to the side it originated
Tok - Mok that rebounds back to the side it originated
Orbital - cut that circles body to end back where it started
Shun – fanning cut with quick wrist flick
Sai Orbital – downward vertical cut that ends back where it started
Cho Orbital – horizontal cut that ends back where it started
Mok Orbital – diagonal cut that ends back where it started
Sweep Orbital – upward vertical cut that ends back where it started
Sai Shun – downward vertical fanning cut
Cho Shun – horizontal fanning cut
Sai-Cho – simultaneous opposing vertical scissoring cuts
Cho-Sai – simultaneous opposing horizontal scissoring cuts
Sai-Cho-Mok – simultaneous opposing diagonal scissoring cuts
Moon Sai – right side downward vertical cut to opponent’s left shoulder, to amputate the opponent’s left arm
Sun Sai – left side downward vertical cut to opponent’s right shoulder, to amputate the opponent’s right arm, a way to disarm
Moon Sai Mok – right to left downward diagonal cut across opponent’s torso, a killing blow, considered a form of decapitation
Sun Sai Mok – left to right downward diagonal cut across opponent’s torso, a killing blow, considered a form of decapitation
Moon Sweep – right side upward vertical cut to opponent’s left arm, to amputate the opponent’s left arm
Sun Sweep – left side upward vertical cut to opponent’s right arm, to amputate the opponent’s right arm, a way to disarm
Moon Sweep Mok – right to left upward diagonal cut to opponent’s torso, a killing blow, considered a form of decapitation
Sun Sweep Mok – left to right outward upward diagonal cut to opponent’s torso, a killing blow, considered a form of decapitation
Moon Cha Cho – right to left high inward horizontal cut to opponent’s neck, a killing blow, a form of decapitation
Sun Cha Cho – left to right high outward horizontal cut to opponent’s neck, a killing blow, a form of decapitation
Moon Mai Cho – right to left middle inward horizontal cut to opponent’s waste, a killing blow, to bisect opponent at the waste
Sun Mai Cho – left to right middle outward horizontal cut to opponent’s waste, a killing blow, to bisect opponent at the waste
Cho Mai – to amputate both opponent’s arms or hands, a form of disarming
Moon Mai Cho Orbital – middle right to left horizontal cut that circles waste (saber staff) to end where it started
Sun Mai Cho Orbital – middle left to right horizontal cut that circles waste (saber staff) to end where it started
Moon Tai Cho – right to left low inward horizontal cut to opponent’s knee, to amputate opponent’s legs
Sun Tai Cho – left to right low outward horizontal cut to opponent’s knee, to amputate opponent’s legs
Mou Key – a forbidden move, to amputate all opponent’s limbs in one aching cut
Cortay – to block, to meet opponent’s attack with an opposing direction of force equal to or greater than the attacking force, derived from Cortosis: rare metal capable of resisting even a Lightsaber
Moon Cha Cortay – high rising left side block, horizontal, saber points left
Sun Cha Cortay – high rising right side block, horizontal, saber points right
Moon Mai Cortay – right to left inward block, vertical saber points up
Sun Mai Cortay – left to right outward block, vertical saber points up
Moon Tai Cortay – right to left inward block, vertical saber points down
Sun Tai Cortay – left to right outward block, vertical saber points down
Maka Cha Cortay - high cross saber block, X block
Dulon Cortay – rear overhead Tai Cortay for a horizontal attack to the back
Beskar – to parry, to meet opponent’s attack with a direction of force great enough to deflect the attack, derived from Beskar: Mandalorian metal strong enough to withstand a glancing Lightsaber attack, but not a direct cut
Sun Sai Beskar – right side downward vertical drop parry, often used to deflect the Sun Mai Cho attack
Phrik – defensive move where saber is used to follow behind opponent’s sword in complementary direction to force opponent’s cut past the target, derived from Phrik: a metallic compound used in the construction on the hulls of military spacecraft, strong enough to slow the Lightsaber cut but not stop it
Flowing Water – to circle around behind opponent’s blade in complementary direction with counter attack, usually after the Maka saber bind
Shiim – controlled stop, Cutting at full speed and stopping just short of contact
Shiak – thrust
Cha Shiak – high center thrust to opponent’s throat
Mai Shiak – middle center thrust to opponent’s solar plexus
Tai Shiak – low center thrust to opponent’s abdomen
Moon Cha Shiak – high right inward thrust to opponent’s left shoulder
Sun Cha Shiak – high left outward thrust to opponent’s right shoulder
Moon Mai Shiak – middle right inward thrust to opponent’s left side torso
Sun Mai Shiak – middle left outward thrust to opponent’s right side torso
Moon Tai Shiak – low right inward thrust to opponent’s left thigh
Sun Tai Shiak – low left outward thrust to opponent’s right thigh
Zenith – lightsaber blade points up
Nadir – lightsaber blade points down
Moon Maka - saber bind position where the opponent's blade is on the left side of yours
Sun Maka - saber bind position where the opponent's blade is on the right side of yours
Moon Shien – counterclockwise parry that moves the opponent's blade off line without breaking contact with blade
Sun Shien – clockwise parry that moves the opponent's blade off line without breaking contact with blade
Photosphere – small circle generated at the wrist, often used in Makashi
Chromosphere – larger circle generated at the elbow, often used in Shien
Dun Moch – psychological warfare during combat to distract the opponent
Sokan – to use the environment to one’s advantage, such as having the higher ground, or keeping one's back to the Sun
Trakata – igniting the sword and delivering a first attack or counter immediately upon drawing the sword, as seen in Djem So, or turning off the laser sword blade mid combat to then ignite the blade again for an advantageous attack
Djem Sai - the final or killing blow used often as the Trill’s method of attack for most Djems, Velocities, and Sequences. An overhead vertical cut to the centerline meant to bisect its victim vertically in half.
Kai-Kan – a half beat, a change in timing in battle, speeding up the cadence of the fighting pattern to surprise or defeat the opponent before they can attack (broken rhythm)
Snake Ascending a Waterfall – part of a Dulon, reenactment of a famous battle from the days of the Old Republic
Mountain Storm – part of a Dulon done from a leg split position with intricate pattern of orbital patterns
Praetoria Ishu – defensive strategy used by team of Jedi to surround and protect another individual or group
Praetoria Vonil – offensive strategy used by a team of Jedi to advance in front of another individual or group cutting a safe passage
Onith - a Temple, Taken from the symbol for the letter it represents
“Solah” – to cause one to yield, to pacify, tame, to create a state of peace through victory in conflict
Waddel – any behavior unbecoming of the Jedi order, acting like a Poodoo, or just being a royal Teedee (insufferable jerk)