Japanese Terms
Below is a glossary of some of the more common Japanese terms used to describe Karate techniques, concepts and etiquette, which you are likely to encounter during your training. It may be hard to rememeber them at first, but you don't even have to learn the pronunciation as it is the one you would expect when reading the word.
However it is by no means intended to be a definitive list, but a list to be increased in the future:
Numbers
| JAPANESE |
english |
ichi |
One |
ni |
Two |
san |
Three |
shi |
Four |
go |
Five |
roku |
Six |
shichi |
Seven |
hachi |
Eight |
ku |
Nine |
ju |
Ten |
Terms
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A |
age uke |
rising block |
age tsuki |
rising punch |
|
C |
choku tsuki |
straight punch |
chudan |
middle-level: hips to shoulders |
|
D |
dan |
black belt |
dojo |
training hall |
|
| E |
empi |
elbow |
empi uchi |
elbow strike |
|
| F
|
fumikomi geri |
stamping-kick |
|
| G
|
gedan |
lower-level: feet to hips |
gedan barai |
downward (sweeping) block |
gohan kumite |
five-step-attack sparring |
gyaku tsuki |
reverse punch |
|
| H
|
hachiji dachi |
natural stance |
hajime |
begin/commence |
hangetsu dachi |
wide hour-glass stance Phalf-moon' stance |
hanmi |
diagonal ly-facing (eg of hips, body, etc) |
hittsui/hiza |
knee |
hittsull/hiza geri |
knee kick |
|
| I
|
ippon |
one point (= full point) |
ippon ken |
one-knuckle fist |
ippon kunlite |
one-step sparring |
|
| J
|
jiyu ippon kumite |
one-step free-style sparring |
jiyu kumite |
free-style sparring |
jodan |
upper-level: head and neck |
juji uke |
x-block |
|
| K
|
kagi tsuki |
close, hooking punch |
kata |
formal exercise (eg Heian Shodan) |
karateka |
one who studies Karate |
keage |
snap |
kekomi |
thrust |
keri waza |
kicking techniques |
kiba dachi |
straddle-leg stance |
kihon |
basic (of technique, etc) |
kilion kurnite |
basic sparring |
kime |
focus |
kizami tsuki |
jabbing punch |
kokutsu dachi |
back stance |
koshi |
ball of the foot |
kurnite |
sparring |
kyu |
pupil; learning grade |
|
| M
|
mae |
front |
mae geri |
front kick |
mae tobi |
geri flying front kick |
makiwara |
striking post - ie for punching and kicking |
mawashi geri |
circular/roundhouse kick |
mawashi tsuki |
circular/roundhouse punch |
mikazuki geri |
crescent kick |
mokuso |
meditation |
momote uke |
double-banded (forearm) block |
morote tsuki |
double-fist punch |
|
| N
|
nagashi uke |
palm-hand sweeping block |
nage waza |
throwing techniques |
narni gaeshi |
inside-leg block; 'returning-wave' kick |
neko ashi dachi |
cat stance |
nukite |
spear-hand |
|
| O
|
oi tsuki |
stepping punch |
|
| R
|
rei |
bow |
|
| S
|
sanchin |
dachi hour-glass stance |
seiken |
fore-fist |
sensei |
instructor/master |
shizentai |
natural body posture |
shomen |
forward-facing (eg of hips, body, etc) |
shuto |
knife-hand |
shuto uke |
knife-hand block |
shuto uchi |
knife-hand strike |
sochin dachi |
diagonal straddle-stance /'rrooted' stance |
sokumen |
sideways-facing (eg of hips, body, etc) |
sokuto |
side-edge of the foot |
soto (ude) uke |
outside forearm block |
sukui uke |
scooping block |
|
| T
|
tate tsuki |
vertical-fist punch |
teisho |
palm-heel |
tettsui |
bottom/hammer-fist |
tsuki |
punch |
|
| U
|
ude |
forearm |
ude |
uke forearm block |
uchi |
strike |
uchi (ude) uke |
inside forearm block |
uraken |
back-fist |
uraken uchi |
back-fist strike |
ura tsuki |
close-punch/uppercut |
ushiro |
back |
ushiro geri |
back kick |
|
| Y
|
yarne |
stop/finish |
yoi |
ready |
yoko |
side |
yoko geri |
side kick |
yoko geri keage |
side snap-kick |
yoko geri kekomi |
side thrust-kick |
yoko tobi geri |
flying side kick |
|
| Z
|
zenkutsu dachi |
forward stance |
