Karate Terminology (Japanese)
A
age - rising upwards
aiuchi - to strike or die at the same instant as the opponent
aiumiashi - stepping forward
ashi - foot
ashi kate - switch hand and foot positions
budo - way of war
bunkai - practical application of kata techniques
bushido - samurai code of conduct
bushido - way of the warrior
C
chudan - middle
D
dachi - stance
dai sempai - higher ranked black belt
dan - level
dantien - the power center
dojo - place of the way
domo arigato - thank you
domo arigato gozaimas - thank you very much
E
embusen - angle of attack or kata floor pattern
empi uchi - elbow strike
empi uke - elbow block
en uke - binding and discharge block
F
fudo dachi - immovable stance
fumikomi geri - downward stomping kick (4)
furoshiki - carrying wrap
G
gedan - low
gedan barai uke - downward sweeping block
gedan morote uke - low reinforced block
gedan ude uke - downward scooping block
gi - training uniform
go - five
godan - fifth level or fifth degree black belt
gokyu - fifth kyu
gomenasai - please excuse me
guruma keri - spinning wheel kick
gyaku mawashi geri - reverse round kick
gyaku mikazuki geri - reverse crescent kick
gyaku shuto uchi - reverse chop strike
gyaku tsuki - reverse punch
gyaku zenkutsu dachi - reverse front stance
H
hachi - eight
hachidan - eighth level or eighth degree black belt
hachikyu - eighth kyu
hai - yes
haishu uke - back of the open hand block
haito uchi - ridgehand strike
hajime - begin
hara - the belly
heiko dachi - natural shoulder stance (feet straight ahead)
heiko tsuki - double parallel punch
heisoku dachi - attention stance with toes together
Henshuho - way of the fist (22 techniques)
hidari - left
hiraken uchi - foreknuckle strike
hirakiashi - side stepping technique
hiza - knee
hiza geri - knee kick
Hohan Sokon - Shorin- ryu master circa 1900’s
I
ichi - one
ie - no
ikyu - first kyu or high brown belt
ima - now
ippon kumite - one technique sparring
ipponken - first knuckle fist
isogi - hurry
J
jitsu - state of calm concentration and awareness
jodan - high
jodan morote uke - high reinforced block
jodan naka uke - high inward block
jodan soto uke high - outward block
jodan uke - up block
ju - ten
ju jutsu - art of grappling
judan - tenth degree black belt
judo - art of grappling and throwing and pinning
juji uke - cross arm block
jukyu - tenth kyu
jyu ippon kumite - free style one technique sparring
K
kage tsuki - hook punch
kai - place of training
kakete uke - double parry and grabbing block
kakiwake uke - separating cross block
kamaete - assume position
karate - empty handed defense system
karate-do - the way of karate
karateka - one who studies karate
kata - formalized set of movements
kegato geri - back kick with heel
keiko - practice
kenjutsu - technique of the sword
keri waza - kicking techniques
ki - internal power
ki oi tsuki - stand at attention
kiai - yell at the execution of technique
kihon - basic
kime - summation of body forces
kimochi - feeling or arousal of ki
kin geri - 45 degree rising crescent kick
kinasai - come here
kobudo - art of weapons
kohai - lower ranked student
koko uchi - tigers mouth strike
kokutsu dachi - back stance
kosa dachi - cross legged stance
ku - nine
kudan - ninth degree black belt
kukyu - ninth kyu
kumite - sparring
kyo - state of confusion
kyu - rank under black belt
kyujutsu - technique of the bow
L
Lao Tzu - Chinese philosopher
M
maai - distance between you and opponent
mae geri keage - front kick snap kick
mae geri kekomi - front thrust kick
manmo - front repelling kick
mato uke - target block
Matsukaze - pine wind
mawashi - round
mawashi geri - round kick
mawashi kegato geri - spinning back kick
mawatte - turn around
metsubi dachi - attention stance with feet forty five degrees outward
migi - right
mikazuki geri - crescent kick
mikazuki geri uke - crescent kick block
moiichido - once more
morote tsuki - reinforced punch
morote uke - reinforced block
mudansha - below black belt students
N
naha-te - style of karate from Naha Okinawa
naka uke - inward middle level block
nakadakaken - second knuckle fist
nekoashi dachi - cat stance
ni - two
nidan - second level or second degree black belt
nikyu - second kyu
nukite tsuki - spearhand thrust
O
obi - belt or sash
oi tsuki - lunge punch
okare - class dismissed
okuriashi - sliding step
onagaiishimas - please teach me
osae uke - downward pressing block
osoji - daily cleaning chores
osu - even though I am tired I will continue to train
otagai - training partner or opponent
otagai ni - face towards training partner
otoshi - downwards
oyasumi - relax
oyayubi - thumb strike
P
pinan - very peaceful
pinan godan - fifth level of peace
pinan nidan - second level of peace
pinan sandan - third level of peace
pinan shodan - first level of peace
pinan yondan - fourth level of peace
R
rei - bow
renoji dachi - L stance
rokku - six
rokkudan - sixth level or sixth degree black belt
rokkyu - sixth kyu
Ryukyu - Okinawan Islands
S
sagiashi dachi - one legged crane stance
san - three
sanbon kumite - three technique kumite
sanchin dachi - hourglass stance
sandan - third level or third degree black belt
sankyu - third kyu
seiken - basic fist of karate
seiretsu - line up
seiza - classical way of sitting
sempai - higher ranked student
sempai ni - face towards sempai
sensei - Instructor
sensei ni - face towards the sensei
shi - four
shichi - seven
shichidan - seventh level or seventh degree black belt
shichikyu - seventh kyu
shiko dachi - low horse stance
shodan - first level first degree black belt
shodan-ho - probationary black belt
shomen - front of dojo
shotei uchi- palm heel thrust
shuri-te - style of karate from Shuri Okinawa
shuto uchi - chopping hand strike (4)
shuto uke - chop block
sochin dachi - sparring stance
Sokon Matsumura - founder of Shorin-ryu
soto uke - outward middle level block
T
tai sabaki - moving to the side
tatte - stand up
tatte tsuki - punch with vertical fist
te - hand
teiji dachi - t stance
teisho uchi- palm heel thrust
teisho uke - palm heel block
tettsui uchi - hammerfist strike
tobi mae geri - flying front kick
tobi mawashi geri - flying round kick
tobi mawashi ushiro - flying spinning back kick to the rear
tobi nidan geri - flying double front kick
tobi yoko geri - flying side kick
tomari-te - a mixture of naha-te and shuri-te karate from Tomari
tsugiashi - skipping step
tsuki - punch
tsuki uke - intercepting punch block
U
uchi hachichi dachi - inside eight stance (shoulder stance with toes inward)
uke - block
ura - backwards
ura tsuki - punch with fist inverted
uraken uchi - backfist strike
W
washi uke - eagle block
Y
yama tsuki - double mountain punch
yame - stop
yoi - ready
yoko - side
yokogeri - side kick
yondan - fourth degree black belt
yonkyu - fourth kyu
yudansha - black belt students
yuka kegato geri - spinning back thrust kick
yumitori uke - archer block
Z
zanshiin - pinpoint concentration with total domination of opponent
