I have listed only a few words below, as a guide only, to start you off on your journey on the path of Karate. I have kept the definitions just as brief, as many pages could be filled on just terminology alone.
| General Terms | ||
|
Name |
Kanji | Description |
| Arigato gozaimashita | Thank you for teaching me | |
| Atemi |
当て身 |
Blows directed against vital body points with the aid of hands, feet, elbows & knees. |
| Bubishi | The Bible of Karate It is the title of one of two different Chinese documents called "Account of Military Arts and Science" not to be confused with "Bushi-do" (see below) | |
| Bushi | 武士 | Aristocratic Warrior (Combat Personnel) roughly equivalent to old Western Knights or Samurai |
|
Bushi-do |
武士道 |
|
|
Budo |
武道 |
Japanese term for "Martial Arts" interchangeable with the word Bujutsu - Science of War" |
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|
Application, meaning or interpretation of Kata moves. Oyo Bunkai is similar using an alternative or a different layer of interpretation. |
|
| Dachi | Stance | |
| Dan | 段位 | Black Belt grade - Degree or Diploma |
| Daruma | Warm-up exercises | |
|
Dojo |
道場 |
Training Hall (place of the way) |
| Dojo Rules (Creed/Oath) | ||
| Dozo one gaishimasu | Please teach me | |
| Embusen | The line along which a kata is performed | |
| Fukutsu no seishin | Never Give Up!! | |
| Geri | Kick | |
|
Gi |
衣 or 着 |
karate suit or uniform (Gi is an abbreviation of Keikogi) |
|
Hajime |
始め |
Start/begin |
| Hanshi | 藩師 | Instructor of Instructors 9th to 10th Dan |
| Hei jo Shin | 平常心 | Ordinary Mind (Common Mind) - Always Ready |
|
Hidari |
|
Left |
|
Hikite |
|
Fist on Hip. Believed to have been developed by Kushanku. |
| Hissho no seishin | Winning Spirit | |
| Hitotsu tachi | see next entry below | |
| Ichi no tachi | or Hitotsu tachi (one cut). Entering the opponents striking range & drawing an attack rather than initiating one & then stepping inside the blow whilst delivering one's own. | |
| Ikken Hisatsu | to kill with one blow. | |
| Kaisai no genri | finding hidden techniques in kata | |
| Kamae | 構え:かまえ | Posture (whole body). Basic stance for sparring or self-defence/sparring. |
| Kan-ken Futatsu No Koto | Both the Eyes & the Mind Must See | |
| Kanto no seishin | Good Fighting Spirit | |
|
Karate |
|
Empty 空手 (or China) 唐手 Hand |
|
Karate-ka |
|
Student |
|
Karate-dō |
空手道 |
the way of the empty hand |
| Karate ni sente nashi | There is no first strike (attack) in karate. [either mentally or physically] (the 2nd of Funakoshi's 20 Precepts) | |
|
Kata |
武 or 形 |
Formal Exercise or Forms |
| Keage | Snap | |
| Keizo | Lineage Family Tree | |
|
Ki / Qui / Chi |
気 |
Life force or spiritual energy (Chi in Chinese) |
| Kiai | 気合 | Fighting Spirit or a short loud shout. The noise from a kiai is said to emit from the "hara" or "tanden", and it involves the abdominal muscles and diaphragm. It should not be sounded in the throat. |
|
Kime |
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Kihon |
基本 |
"Basic" e.g.. basic kata or basic kicks, punches, blocks and strikes |
| Kiso Kumite | pre-sequenced sparring from kata techniques | |
| Kitei | Required basics Kitei Kata (video .wmv file) (not part of SSKA syllabus) | |
| Kobo Itchi | Offence & Defence are One | |
| Koryū | 古流; こりゅう | A Japanese word that is used in association with the ancient Japanese martial arts. This word literally translates as "old school" or "traditional (or classical) school". |
|
組手 |
Sparring |
|
|
Kyu |
級 |
Levels leading towards Black Belt |
| Maai | 間合い | Distance....(between two opponents) |
| Mawate | 回って | Turn around |
| Menkyo-kaiden | A certificate of full proficiency in an art, usually given to a student deemed most suited to carry on the art of his sensei. A master customarily issued only one menkyo-kaiden in his lifetime. | |
Migi |
|
Right |
| Mushin | 無心 | A mind not fixed or occupied by thought or emotion. "No Mind" - the term used to describe the state of pure consciousness unburdened by thought and being free and flexible to react and adapt to a given situation. |
|
Narande |
並んで |
Line Up |
| Nintai | Perseverance, endurance & endurance. | |
|
Obi |
|
|
| Okuden | Hidden Teaching | |
|
Osu |
押忍 |
Positive Acknowledgement i.e. Yes or I Understand etc |
| Randori | Free Sparring | |
|
Rei |
礼 |
Bow (as in “Sensei Ne Rei” = “Bow to Instructor”) |
| Reishiki | Etiquette or manners | |
| Renshi | 連師 | Advanced Instructor 5th to 6th Dan |
| Satori | A state of enlightenment reached after much practice in meditation. | |
|
Sempei |
先輩 |
Senior Student |
|
Sensei |
先生 |
Instructor |
|
Shihan |
師範 |
Senior Instructor |
| Shingi Ittai | Mind & Technique are One | |
|
Shodan |
初段 |
Degree/Diploma Black Belt grade |
| Shoto | pen or nick name for Gichin Funakoshi Sensei | |
|
Shotokan |
松涛館 |
House of Pine Waves - literally "Gichin Funakoshi's hall" |
| Shomen | Front of Dojo | |
| Shugo | Line Up command - class | |
| Tanden (hara 腹) | 丹田 | is described as an important focus point for internal meditative techniques, and refers specifically to the physical center of gravity located in the abdomen three finger widths below and two finger widths behind the navel. |
| Ten No Kata (Omote & Ura) | Basic kihon and kumite drills invented by Funakoshi Sensei | |
| Tui-te | the Okinawan art of "arresting or catching an opponent by using only the hands" originally from the Cantonese art of Chin-Na 擒拿 | |
|
Tokui |
|
(Favourite) Kata |
| Toridai | or Himitsu - hidden techniques in kata, see Bunkai | |
| Uchi | Strikes | |
| Uke | Block | |
| Ushero | Reverse | |
| Waza | Technique | |
|
Yame |
止め |
Finish |
|
Yoi |
用意 |
Get Ready |
|
Yoko |
|
Side |
| Yudansha | Senior Grades - Blackbelts | |
| Zuki (Tsuki) | Punches | |
| Zanshin |
残心 |
Alertness or Readiness of Mind & Body - focus of concentration. Mind Like Moon |
| Zazen | 坐禅 | A meditative posture & technique. |
Punches- Zuki |
||
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Choku Zuki |
|
straight or lunge punch |
|
Gyaku Zuki |
|
Reverse - Punch (opposite arm to leg forward) |
|
Kage Zuki |
|
Hook Punch |
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Kizami Zuki |
|
Forward Snap Punch |
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Moroto Zuki |
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Double Punch |
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Oi Zuki |
|
Lunge Punch (Same arm & same leg forward) |
| Mawashi Zuki | Round house punch | |
| Age Zuki | Rising punch (e.g. as in Kata Empi) | |
|
Yama Zuki |
|
"Y" punch |
Strikes |
||
| Empi | Elbow Strike | |
| Teisho | Strike made with the palm or "heel" of the hand | |
| Tetsui | Hammer Fist Strike | |
|
Uraken |
|
Back fist strike |
Blocks - Uke |
||
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Age Uke |
|
Upper Rising Block |
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Gedan Barai |
|
Downward Block |
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Juji Uke |
|
"X" Block |
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Moroto Uke |
|
Augmented Block |
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Shuto Uke |
|
Knife Hand Block |
|
Soto Uke |
|
Outside Block |
|
Uchi Uke |
|
Inside Block |
Kicks - Geri |
||
|
Ashi Barai |
|
Foot/Leg Sweep. |
|
Ashi Gataana |
|
Foot Sword |
|
Fumikomi Geri |
|
Cutting Kick |
|
Hiza Geri |
|
Knee Kick |
|
Kakato Geri |
|
Axe Kick using the back of the heel |
|
Mae Geri |
|
Front Snap Kick (pronounced My Geri) |
|
Mae Geri Keage |
|
Front Snapping Kick |
|
Mae Geri Kekomi |
|
Front Thrust Kick |
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Mawashi Geri |
|
Roundhouse Kick |
|
Mikazuki Geri |
|
Crescent Kick. |
| Nidan Geri |
Double kick using alternate legs in the air (as in Kanku Dai) |
|
|
Ren-Geri |
|
Two Kicks using alternate legs i.e. left and then right. |
|
Tobi Geri |
|
Flying kick |
|
Tsumasaki Geri |
|
Kick using the tips of the toes. |
|
Ushero Geri |
|
Reverse Kick (back kick) |
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Ushero Mawashi Geri |
|
Reverse Roundhouse Kick |
|
Yoko Geri Keage |
|
Side Snap Kick |
|
Yoko Geri Kekomi |
|
Side Thrust Kick |
Stances - Dachi |
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Fudo Dachi |
|
Rooted Stance. Sometimes referred to as Sochin Dachi |
|
Gankaku Dachi |
|
Crane Stance - see Gankaku |
|
Hangetsu Dachi |
|
Half-Moon Stance |
|
Heiko Dachi |
|
Parallel stance |
|
Heisoku Dachi |
|
An informal attention stance |
|
Hachiji |
|
Natural Stance |
|
Katashi dachi |
|
Crane-like stance (as in Empi) |
|
Kiba Dachi |
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Horse Riding or Straddle Stance |
|
Kokutsu Dachi |
|
Back Stance (front leg inline with back leg) |
|
Kosa Dachi |
|
Crossed-feet Stance |
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Musubi Dachi |
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Informal attention stance |
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Naihanchi Dachi |
|
Kiba Dachi but with the feet turned in |
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Neko-Ashi Dachi |
|
Cats Foot Stance |
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Renoji Dachi |
|
L Stance |
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Sagi Ashi Dachi |
|
Heron Leg Stance |
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Sanchin Dachi |
|
Hour-glass Stance |
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Shiko Dachi |
|
Square Stance |
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Shizen Dachi |
|
Natural Stance |
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Shizentai |
|
Ready Stance |
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Sochin Dachi |
|
Immovable Stance |
|
Teiji Dachi |
|
'T-shape' stance |
|
Tsuru Ashi Dachi |
|
Crane Leg Stance (as in Gankaku) |
|
Uchi-Hachiji Dachi |
|
Inverted Figure Eight Stance. The feet are shoulder width apart with the feet facing inwards |
|
Zenkutsu Dachi |
|
Front Stance (wide stance) |
|