Here's a run at defining things quickly so I can avoid rambling and chop things into simple clips. Let me know what you think.
Normals- Moves done by pressing a button or by pressing a button with the stick held in a single direction. Also referred to as "buttons." Can be broken down into several sub-categories:
- Far/Close normals - Some games have different standing moves per each button pressed dependent on if you're close to the opponent or far away.
- Crouching normals - Buttons pressed while crouched (holding down on the stick). These do not change if you're close or far from the opponent.
- Jumping normals - Done by pressing a button while airborne. Some games have different moves depending on if you're in a directional jump (back, or forward) or neutral jumping (straight up). Must be blocked while standing.
- Command normals - Moves done by pressing a button while holding forward, back, down/forward or down/back on the stick.
Specials - Moves
typically done by moving the stick in more than one direction then pressing a button
- Quarter Circle Motion - Moving the stick 90 degrees (usually down to forward or down to back).
- Half circle - Moving the stick 180 degrees. Can refer to back, down, forward (half-circle forward) and forward, down, back (half-circle back)
- Dragon punch motion - Bringing the stick from forward, to down, to down/forward and pressing a button.
- Charge motion - Holding one direction for a period of time then pressing another. Typically back to forward or down to up.
- 360/SPD motion - Moving the stick in a full rotation. Typically doesn't matter if clockwise or counter-clockwise.
Supers - Moves typically inputted by doubling up special motions. Usually takes away from a meter or gauge that must be built up. Most games have their own names for these types of moves
Block/Guard - Where a character defends against an incoming attack, taking no or reduced damage. Traditionally done by holding "back" or "away" from the direction of the character or attack.
High attack - A move that misses crouching characters.
Mid attack - An attack that hits standing and crouching characters, but can be blocked standing or crouching.
Low attack - An attack that hits standing and crouching characters, but must be blocked crouching.
Overhead attack - A type of mid attack that must be blocked standing.
Cross-up - A move that appears to hit from the front but must be blocked from the opposite direction. Can also refer to the act of crossing up, where a character slips behind their opponent.
Combo - An un-interruptable series of moves that connect one after the other. Some games have mechanics that can free the opponent from the combo.
Cancel - Where a character interrupts one move with another.
- Empty cancel - A move that is canceled without touching the opponent.
- Kara cancel - Canceling a move's startup period into another move.
Chain - A series of normals that cancel into one another. Also called "target combos" in some street fighter games.
Throw - An unblockable, typically close range attack. Usually cannot be comboed into. Usually knocks opponent down.
AA/Antiair, a move or technique where a standing character hits an airborne opponent.
Reversal - A move performed at the earliest possible window after a recovery.
DP/Uppercut/Shoryu - A type of anti-air move where the attacking character rises up, usually has partial or full invincibility. Usually has a long recovery period.
Fireball/Hadouken/Projectile - A projectile attack that leaves the character. Typically long-ranged.
Flash Kick - A type of antiair attack involving a down-to-up charge, functions similarly to a shoryu.
Rekka- A type of special move where after the initial input, the character can repeat the motion for follow-up moves.
Tiger Knee/Instant Air - Inputting a move in such a way that combines the move's input with a jump, so that an aerial move comes out as soon as the character leaves the ground. Also refers to the motion of down, down/forward, forward, up/forward.
Chip/Block/Guard damage - Damage taken while a character is blocking.
OTG- "Off the ground." A move that can hit a knocked down opponent.
Meaty - Situation where a move connects during the later part of its animation.
Dizzy/Stun - A character is left in a totally vulnerable state where they cannot move, block, or perform any moves. Players can sometimes shorten the time where the character is dizzy by mashing buttons.
Mixup/Okizeme/Wakeup games - A situation where one character can use a variety of moves on a character getting up from a knockdown.
Reset - Can refer to a) intentionally ending a combo in order to start a new offense or b) where a character flips out of an aerial knockdown state.
Neutral - A state where neither player has a clear advantage.
Footsies - Mid-ranged ground-based aspect of fighting game strategy.
Zoning/Turtling - Keeping the opponent away, usually with long range attacks, including fireballs.
Rushdown - A style of play characterized by close-range aggression; the opposite of turtling.
***Stopping for now. Here's the rest of the list:
startup/active/recovery
hitbox/hurtbox/all sorts of boxes
hitstun/blockstun
frame advantage
Space control (as in how a normal projectile covers a lot of horizontal space, a stationary projectile can cover a specific space on the field to limit options etc).
Safe/unsafe
Punish
Frame trap/Counterhit (And counterhit-specific properties/combos)
Block stun/block string
Option Select
Push Block/Alpha counter
Armor
Force stand/crouch
Juggle
Trade (When they're good, bad, done on purpose to allow for new combos etc)
Taunt (Since they can have their uses
)
Yomi/Hard reads
air-to-air
BnB
dash/airdash
Bait/Whiff Punish