Basic Karate Terminology
Etiquette
| 礼 | Rei – Bow |
| 律 礼 | Ritsu (Rei) – Form, Etikette (Bow) |
| (正座 or 正) 礼 | Zeiza (Rei) – Sitting (Bow) |
| 正面に 礼 | Shomen ni Rei – Bow to the Front |
| (先生に or 先生へ) 礼 | Sensei ni Rei – Bow to Teacher |
| (オタガニ or お互い) 礼 | Otagai ni Rei – Bow to Each Other |
Counting
| ichi | One |
| ni | Two |
| san | Tthree |
| shi (or yon) | Four |
| go | Five |
| roku | Six |
| shichi (or nana) | Seven |
| hachi | Eight |
| ku (or kyu) | Nine |
| ju (or jyu) | Ten |
Body Parts & Targets
| jodan | upper level (usually refers to the head) |
| chudan | middle level (usually refers to the solar plexus) |
| gedan | lower level (usually refers to the groin) |
| te | hand (as in karate, which means ’empty hand’) |
| ude | arm |
| ashi | leg or foot |
| kubi | neck |
| tekubi | wrist (lit. ‘hand neck’) |
| ashikubi | ankle (lit. ‘foot neck’) |
| hiza | knee |
| hiji | elbow |
| koshi | hip(s) |
Kihon (Basic Techniques)
| shizentai | ‘natural’ standing position |
| heisokudachi | feet together and knees usually bent |
| heikodachi | feet apart & parallel |
| zenkutsudachi | front stance |
| kokutsudachi | back stance |
| kibadachi | side stance |
| tsuki | punch |
| keri | kick |
| uke | block |
| harai (barai) | sweep |
| chokuzuki | straight punch |
| kizamizuki | jab |
| gyakuzuki | reverse punch |
| oizuki | lunge (stepping in) punch |
| maegeri | front kick |
| yokogeri | side kick |
| ushirogeri | back kick |
| mawashigeri | roundhouse kick |
| keage |
rising/snapping kick
(often refers to side snap kick)
|
| kekomi |
thrusting kick
(often refers to the side thrust kick)
|
| ashibarai | foot/leg sweep |
| ageuke | rising block |
| sotouke | outside block |
| uchiuke | inside block |
| gedanbarai | down (sweeping) block |
| shutouke | knife hand block |
| uraken(uchi) | back fist (strike) |
| empi(uchi) | elbow (strike) |
| shomen |
hips straight/facing front
(also the area in the front of the dojo)
|
| hanmi | hips to the side (“half face”) |
| gyakuhanmi |
hips twisted to the reverse side
(reverse half face)
|
Kumite (Sparring)
| kihon ippon kumite | one step sparring |
| kihon sanbon kumite | three step sparring |
| kihon gohon kumite | five step sparring |
| Jyuu ippon kumite | semi free sparring |
| jyuu kumite | free sparring |
Kata (Forms)
| Name | Kanji | Meaning |
| Taikyoku shodan
(aka Kihon) |
太極初段 | Great Beginning |
| Heian shodan | 平安初段 | Peaceful Mind, One |
| Heian nidan | 平安二段 | Peaceful Mind, Two |
| Heian sandan | 平安三段 | Peaceful Mind, Three |
| Heian yondan | 平安四段 | Peaceful Mind, Four |
| Heian godan | 平安五段 | Peaceful Mind, Five |
| Tekki shodan | 鉄騎初段 | Iron Horse, One |
| Bassai dai | 披塞大 | To Penetrate a Fortress (Major) |
| Jion | 慈恩 | Jion is the name of a temple, and also the name of a buddhist saint |
| Empi | 燕飛 | Flight of the swallow |
| Kanku dai | 観空大 | To Look At the Sky (Major) |
| Hangetsu | 半月 | Half-moon |
| Jitte | 十手 | Ten hands |
| Gankaku | 岩鶴 | Crane on a rock |
| Tekki nidan | 鉄騎二段 | Iron Horse, Two |
| Tekki sandan | 鉄騎三段 | Iron Horse, Three |
| Nijushiho | 二十四步 | Twenty-four Steps |
| Chinte | 珍手 | Unusual Hands (Also rare hands or crazy hands) |
| Sochin | 壯鎭 | Tranquil Force |
| Meikyo | 明鏡 | Bright Mirror |
| Unsu | 雲手 | Hands in a Cloud |
| Bassai sho | 披塞小 | To Penetrate a Fortress (Minor) |
| Kanku sho | 観空小 | To Look at the Sky (Minor) |
| Wankan | 王冠 | King’s crown |
| Gojushiho sho | 五十四歩小 | Fifty-four Steps (Minor) |
| Gojushiho dai | 五十四歩大 | Fifty-four Steps (Major) |
| Ji’in | 慈陰 | Love of Truth (Also the name of a buddhist saint) |
Other terms frequently used in the dojo
| dojo | training hall |
| dojo-kun | The creed (motto) of karate, repeated at the end of each class |
| seiza | traditional (formal) sitting position |
| rei | bow |
| shomen | front of the dojo |
| sensei | instructor |
| sempai | senior |
| kohai | junior |
| osu | all purpose martial arts greeting |
| yoi | ready |
| hajime(ru) | begin |
| yame(ru) | stop/finish |
| mokuso | silent meditation |
| makiwara | literally, ‘rolled straw’ the traditional striking board of karate used to increase focus of punches & strikes. The board was covered with a straw pad at the striking area (usually cotton/canvas nowadays). |
| kime | focus (lit. decisiveness, but more often used to describe physical commitment in the form of timing of muscular contraction) |
| waza | technique |
| tokui kata | test/favorite (lit. specialty) kata |
| owari | the end |
