Full Terminology
A karateka who has learned the Japanese karate terminology is able to enter any karate dojo in the world and participate.
Many Japanese letters sound the same as they do in English, but some letters are pronounced or written differently. To learn the Japanese sounds of these letters, study the following chart.
Sounds
| Japanese sound |
English sound |
Example |
| a |
ah |
aka (ah-ka) |
| ai |
i |
Shotokai (as in eye) |
| e |
eh |
hajime (as in let) |
| ei |
ay |
Sensei (as in day) |
| i |
ee |
Obi(oh-bee) |
| o |
oh |
dojo (doh-joh) |
| oi |
oy |
kiiroi (key-roy) (as in boy) |
| u |
oo |
uchi (oo-chee) |
In Japanese, the letter “r” is never emphasized. It is pronounced like a soft “d”. The letter “g” is always pronounced like the “g” in go.
Terminology Index
General Terms
| Term |
Meaning |
| Karate | Empty Hands |
| Karate Do | The Way of Karate |
| Karateka | Practitioner of Karate |
| Dojo | School or training room |
| Sensei | Teacher |
| Sempai | Senior |
| Kohai | Junior |
| Renshi | Entry Level Master |
| Shihan | Master Instructor |
| Kyu | Rank |
| Gi | Uniform |
| Obi | Belt |
| Hai | Yes |
| Iie | No |
| Osu | "I understand and will try my best."
Also used to show respect, enthusiasm.
Do not use outside of the dojo! |
| Do | Way |
| Budo | Way of combat |
| Zanshin | Poise and control |
| Kime | Focus |
| Kihon | Fundamentals/Basics |
| Kiai | Spirit shout/focus of spiritual energy |
| Kata | Practice form |
| Embusen | Floor pattern/lines of a kata |
| Maai | Distance |
| Bunkai | Application (interpretation) of kata techniques |
| Kumite | Sparring/fighting |
| Ippon kumite | One-step sparring |
| Yakusoku kumite | "Promise" premeditated sparring |
| Gohon kumite | Five-step sparring |
| Jiyyu kumite | Free sparring |
| Waza | Technique |
| Dachi | Stance |
| Tsuki (Zuki) | Punch |
| Uchi | Strike |
| Uke | Block |
| Rei | Bow |
| Waza | Technique |
| Geri | Kick |
| Ashi-barai | Foot sweep |
| Kamae | Posture |
| Yori-ashi | Sliding the feet |
| Tai-sabaki | Body shifting |
| Shotokan | "House of Shoto"; "Pine Sea"; pen name of Funakoshi. |
| Mokuso | Meditate/Gather Your Thoughts |
| Dozo | Please |
| Domo Arigato Gozaimashita | "Thank-you very much" |
| Onegai Shimasu | "I welcome you to train with me"
Literally: "I make a request."
Said to one's partner when initiating practice. |
Major Concepts
| Term |
Meaning |
| Zanshin | Awareness; Continuing mind/heart - connotes "following through" a technique while maintaining awareness |
| Sen | Initiative |
| Sen no sen | Seizing the initiative earlier; attacking at the same moment your opponent attacks. |
| Go no sen | Seizing the initiative later; Allowing your opponent to attack first so as to open up target for counter-attacks. |
| Sen sen no sen | Seizing the opponent's sen no sen; Attacking before your opponent attacks-a preemptive attack. |
| Ikken Hissatsu | "To kill with one blow" |
| Karate ni sente nashi | Karate does not include the first move. |
| Karate wa sente nari | Karate is the first move. |
| Shorin (kata) | Quick movement, emphasizing speed |
| Shorei (kata) | Slow, strong movement, emphasizing strength |
| Sun-dome | Stopping a technique just prior to contact (three centimeters) |
Commands
| Term |
Meaning |
| Narande | Line up
|
| Seiretsu | Line up by rank |
| Yoi | Ready |
| Yame | Stop |
| Yasume | Relax (or ready position) |
| Sensei ni | Face towards the teacher |
| Otaigai ni | Face towards each other |
| Shomen ni | Face towards the front |
| Rei | Bow |
| Seiza | Meditation position-kneeling |
| Age-te | Hands up (cover position) |
| Mawatte | Turn around |
| Hajime | Begin |
| Naore | Return to Shizen-tai |
Directions
| Term |
Meaning |
| Mae | Front |
| Yoko | Side |
| Ushiro | Back |
| Tate | Vertical |
| Mawashi | Round |
| Jodan | Head high level |
| Chudan | Mid-high level |
| Gedan | Low level; Down |
| Migi | Right |
| Hidari | Left |
| Tobi | Jump |
| Gyaku | Reverse |
| Age | Rising |
| Uchi | Inner |
| Soto | Outer |
| Otoshi | Dropping |
| Sokumen | Side |
Dachi Waza (stances)
| Term |
Meaning |
| Kamae | Posture (Yoi) |
| Heisoku dachi | Formal Attention Stance (Yoi) |
| Zenkutsu dachi | Front Stance |
| Kokutsu dachi | Back Stance |
| Kiba dachi | Straddle Stance |
| Fudo dachi | Fighting Stance |
| Musubi dachi | Informal Attention Stance (feet in a 'V") |
| Hachiji dachi | Open-legged Stance (Yoi) |
| Shizen-tai dachi | Natural Stance |
| Neko-ashi dachi | Cat Stance |
| Renoji dachi | "L" Stance |
| Kosa dachi | Cross-legged Stance |
| Hangetsu dachi | Wide Hour-glass Stance |
| Migi Ashi Orishiku | Right Leg Kneeling |
| Hidari Ashi Orishiku | Left Leg Kneeling |
Uke Waza (blocks)
| Term |
Meaning |
| Age uke | Rising block |
| Gedan uke | Down block |
| Soto ude uke | Outside forearm block |
| Uchi ude uke | Inside forearm block |
| Shuto uke | Knife block |
| Morote uke | Augmented block |
| Kakiwaki uke | Reverse wedge block (Heian 4) |
| Juji uke | X block |
| Kosa uke | Cross block (Uchi/gedan uke-Heian 3) |
| Manji uke | Hi/low block (Heian 5) |
| Tate shuto uke | Vertical knife-hand block (Heian 3) |
| Haishu uke | Back-hand block (Heian 5) |
| Empi uke (or Hiji uke) | Elbow block (Heian 3) |
| Osae uke | Pressing block (Heian 2, 3) |
| Otoshi uke | Dropping or falling block (Heian 2, 3) |
| Nagashi Uke | Sweeping block (Tekki, Jion) |
| Haiwan Nagashi Uke | Sweeping back-arm block |
| Te Nagashi Uke | Sweeping hand block (parry) (Heian 5) |
| Sukui Uke | Scooping block (Bassai, Chinte) |
| Sokumen Awase Uke | Side combined block (Bassai-Dai) |
| Tsukami Uke | Grasping block (Bassai-Dai, Jion) |
| Awase Shuto Age Uke | Combined rising knife-hand block (Kanku-Dai) |
| Ryowan Uchi Uke | Double inside block( Jion, Bassai-Sho) |
| Seiryuto Uke | Ox-Jaw block |
Geri Waza (kicks)
| Term |
Meaning |
| Mae geri keage | Front snap kick
|
| Mae geri kekomi | Front thrust kick |
| Yoko geri keage | Side snap kick |
| Yoko geri kekomi | Side thrust kick |
| Mawashi geri | Round kick |
| Ushiro geri | Back thrust kick |
| Fumikomi geri | Stomping kick (Heian 3, 5) |
| Uchi mikazuki geri | Inside crescent kick |
| Soto mikazuki geri | Outside crescent kick |
| Tobi geri | Flying kick |
| Name ashi geri | Returning wave kick (Tekki 1) |
| Hiza geri | Knee kick/strike |
| Nidan geri | Double kick (Kanku-Dai) |
Tsuki Waza (punches)
| Term |
Meaning |
| Oi tsuki | Lunge punch |
| Gyaku tsuki | Reverse punch |
| Kizami tsuki | Jab |
| Choku tsuki | Straight punch |
| Kagi tsuki | Hook punch |
| Oi-gyaku tsuki | Lunging reverse punch |
| Ura tsuki | Close punch |
| Morote tsuki | Parallel punch |
| Ren tsuki | Double punch |
| San tsuki | Triple punch |
| Age tsuki | Rising punch |
| Gedan tsuki | Downward punch |
| Yama tsuki | Wide "U" punch |
| Awase tsuki | "U" punch |
| Otoshi tsuki | Dropping punch (Empi) |
| Ippon Ken tsuki | One-knuckle fist punch (Hangetsu) |
Uchi Waza (strikes)
| Term |
Meaning |
| Tettsui | Hammer-fist strike |
| Kumade Uchi | Bear Claw Strike |
| Uraken Uchi | Backfist Strike |
| Hiraken Uchi | Foreknuckle Strike |
| Teisho Uchi | Palm Heel Strike |
| Ippon Nukite Uchi | Single Finger Strike |
| Nihon Nukite Uchi | Two Finger Strike (Fork) |
| Shuto Uchi | Knife Hand Strike |
| Soto Shuto Uchi | Outside Knife Hand Strike |
| Uchi Shuto Uchi | Inside Knife Hand Strike |
| Shihon Nukite Uchi | Spear Hand Strike |
| Gyaku Haito Uchi | Reverse Backfist Strike |
| Haito Uchi | Backfist Strike |
| Empi Uchi | Elbow Strike |
| Mawashi Empi Uchi | Round Elbow Strike |
| Mae Empi Uchi | Front Elbow Strike |
| Otoshi Empi Uchi | Downward Elbow Strike |
| Ushiro Empi Uchi | Back Elbow Strike |
| Yoko Empi Uchi | Side Elbow Strike |
| Yoko Mawashi Empi Uchi | Side Roundhouse Elbow Strike |
| Tate Empi Uchi | Upward Elbow Strike |
| Hiza Age Ate | Rising Knee Strike |
| Washide Uchi | Eagle Beak Strike |
| Koko Uchi | Tiger Mouth Strike |
| Haishu Uchi | Back Hand Strike |
Kata (forms)
| Term |
Meaning |
| Taikyoku | First Cause |
| Ten-No-Kata | Kata of the Universe |
| Heian | Peaceful mind |
| Tekki | Iron Knight |
| Bassai | Storm the Fortress |
| Sho | Lesser, small |
| Dai | Greater, big |
| Jion | Temple Ground |
| Jiin | Temple Sound |
| Kanku | To look at the sky |
| Hangetsu | Crescent or Half moon |
| Empi | Flying Swallow |
| Chinte | Extraordinary Hands |
| Jitte | Ten Hands |
| Gankaku | Crane on a rock |
| Sochin | To keep the peace; Grand Suppression |
| Nijushiho | Twenty-four steps |
| Shorei Kata | Light and quick; emphasizing agility and speed |
| Shorin Kata | Slow, hard, and strong; emphasizing muscles and strength |
Body Parts
| Term |
Meaning |
| Ken | Fist |
| Ippon Ken | Single-point index-finger Fist |
| Tate Ken | Vertical Fist |
| Te | Hand |
| Kaishu | Open hand |
| Tekubi | Wrist |
| Teisho | Palm heel |
| Ude | Forearm |
| Empi (also Hiji) | Elbow |
| Ashi | Leg |
| Ashikubi | Ankle |
| Hiza (also Hitsui) | Knee |
| Ensho | Back of the heel |
| Heisoku | Top (instep) of the foot |
| Teisoku | Bottom of the foot |
| Kakato | Heel of the foot |
| Koshi | Ball of the foot |
| Sokuto | Outer edge (knife) of the foot |
| Tsumasaki | Toe tips |
| Atama | Head |
| Wan | Arm |
| Naiwan | Back of Arm |
| Kata | Shoulder |
| Jiku Ashi | Pivot leg |
| Jodan | Head level |
| Chudan | Mid-level |
| Gedan | Lower level |
Counting
| Term |
Meaning |
| Ichi | One |
| Ni | Two |
| San | Three |
| Shi | Four |
| Go | Five |
| Roku | Six |
| Shichi | Seven |
| Hachi | Eight |
| Ku | Nine |
| Ju | Ten |
| NiJu | Twenty |
| NiJu-Go | Twenty-five |
| Hyaku | One Hundred |
| Ippon | First |
| Yon | Fourth |
| Gohon | Fifth |
Colors
| Term |
Meaning |
| Shiro | White |
| Ki | Yellow |
| Aoi | Blue |
| Midori | Green |
| Murasaki | Purple |
| Cha | Brown |
| Kuro | Black |
| Aka | Red |
Weapons
| Term |
Meaning |
| Bo | Long staff |
| Jo | Short staff |
| Sai | forked knife (Jitte) |
| Nunchaku | Thrasher (two sticks joined by a chain) |
| Kama | Sickles |
| Tonfa | Batons |
| Shinai | Bamboo sword |
| Bokken | Wooden sword |
