Karate Glossary

Numbers

 

Romaji

Japanese

Meaning

Ichi One
Ni Two
San Three
Shi / Yon Four
Go Five
Roku Six
Shichi / Nana Seven
Hachi Eight
Kyū Nine
Ten

Terminology

Source Shorin-Ryu, Okinawan Karate Question and Answer Book by William Cummins & Robert Scaglione 3rd 2002

Romaji

Japanese

Meaning

-A-

Achi あち Arch of foot
Age 上げ Rising
Anza 安座 Cross-leg sitting
Ashi Foot
Atama Head
Ate-waza 当て技 Smashing technique
Atemi-waza 当身技 Breaking technique

-B-

Barai 払い Sweep
Bo Staff, roughly 6ft long
Bubishi 武備志 Martial art manual, the “bible” of Karate
Bunkai 分解 Application of kata. Bun-kai literally means “analysis” or “disassembly”. Bunkai is usually performed with a partner or a group of partners which execute predefined attacks. It may also illustrate how to improve technique by adjusting distances, time moves properly, and adapt a technique depending on the size of an opponent. There are usually many stages of depth of comprehension of bunkai only reached through the passage of time.
Bushido 武士道 “The way of the warrior”

-C-

Chudan shoutei-uke 中段掌底受け Middle palm heel block
Chudan soto-mawashi-uke 中段外回し受け Middle sideward round block
Chudan soto-shuto-uke 中段外手刀受け Middle outward knife-hand block
Chudan soto-uke 中段外受け Middle outward block
Chudan uchi-uke 中段内受け Middle inner block
Chudan 中段 Middle
Chudan-uke 中段受け Middle block
Chudan-zuki 中段突き Middle punch
Chusoku Ball of foot

-D-

Dachi 立ち Stance
Dan Grade (Black Belt)
Do Way-Spiritual path.
Dōgi 道着 Karate uniform (sometimes referred to simply as “gi”)
Dojo 道場 Sacred hall of learning
Dozo どうぞ Please, go ahead

-E-

Empi Elbow strike

-F-

Fudo ふどう Posture and attitude (one of the six virtures of the warrior)
Fukubu-geri 腹部蹴り Abdomen kick
Fukyugata 普及型 Basic/Foundational kata
Fukyugata ichi The first kata in Shorin-ryu karate
Furitsuki 振り突き Roundhouse punch

-G-

Gedan 下段 Lower
Gedan kosa-uke 下段交差受け Lower crossing block
Gedan shotei-uke 下段掌底受け Lower palm heel block
Gedan shuto-uke 下段手刀受け Lower knife hand block
Gedan-uke 下段受け Lower block
Gedan-zuki 下段突き Lower punch
Genshin Intuitive ability to anticipate an attack
Geri 蹴り Kick
Geri-dachi 蹴り立ち Horse Stance Squat position
Giri 義理 The duty (one of the six virtues of the warrior)
Goju-ryu 剛柔流 “Hard-Soft’ style, one of the major karate styles from Naha, Okinawa
Gyaku Reverse

-H-

Hachiji-dachi 八字立ち Open leg stance
Hai はい Yes
Haisoku 背足 Instep
Haito-uchi Reverse knife-hand strike
Haito-uke 受け Reverse knife-hand block
Hajime 始め Begin
Hara In Japanese culture, the center of a person’s being or consciousness. Located approx two inches below the navel
Heisoku-dachi 平足立ち Closed-foot stance
Hidari Left
Hiji-ate 肘当て Elbow smash
Hiji-uke 肘受け Elbow block
Hiza-ate 膝当て Knee smash

-I-

Ippon 一本 One point

-J-

Jigotai-dachi Wide-open leg stance
Jodan 上段 Upper
Jodan-kosa-uke 上段受け Upper cross block
Jodan-uke 上段受け Upper block
Jodan-zuki 上段突き Upper punch
Ju Ten
Ju Softness, Flexibility
Jun shizentai-dachi Quasi-natural stance

-K-

Kaizen 改善 Philosophy of continuous improvement of working practices. “Continuous Improvement”– slow, incremental but constant.
Kakato Heel
Kara Empty
Karate 空手 or 唐手 Empty-handed self-defense art, originally known as “Toudi” which meant “Chinese hand,” was later changed to “Empty hand” in order to distance the art from its Chinese roots to appeal to Japanese nationalism.
Karate-do 空手道 Way of Karate
Karateka 空手家 Practitioner of Karate
Kasane-uchi 襲撃ち Double knife-hand
Kata Form – an organized series of pre-arranged defensive and offensive movements symbolizing an imaginary fight between several opponents. Handed down by masters of a system of Karate.
Keikoken Forefinger knuckle
Kentsui-uchi けんついうち Hammerfist strike
Keriwaza 蹴り技 Kicking techniques
Ki Vital energy
Kiai Combining of spirit (and body), a forceful shout or “war cry” that is matched to offensive movement to maximize force and focus
Kiba-dachi Horse stance
Kime Focus, decisiveness
Kinteki-geri Groin kick
Kiotsuke attention or stand up straight
Koken Wrist
Kokuto Heel of Foot
Kosa Cross
Kosa-uke Cross block
Ku Nine
Kumite Fight
Kyobu Chest
Kyobu-geri Chest kick
Kyu Rank (White to Brown Belt)

-M-

Ma-ai 間合い Distancing, the ability to intuitively establish the correct distance between oneself and one’s opponent.
Mae Front
Mae-geri 前蹴り Front Kick
Makiwara 巻藁 Striking board
Mate 待て Stop
Matsubayashi-ryu 松林流 “Pine forest” style, Shorin-ryu
Mawashi 回し Swinging around
Mawatte 回って Turn (command)
Migi Right
Mushin 無心 No mind

-N-

Naha-te 那覇手 Karate styles such as Goju-ryu and Uechi-ryu
Naihanchi-dachi ないハンチ立ち Straddle-leg stance
Neko-ashi-dachi 猫足立 Cat stance
Nidan-geri 二段蹴り Flying front kick
Ninyo – Magnamanity (Courageously noble in mind and heart) or (Generous in forgiving); on higher level than doryo – ( rank clearly divided into three categories, sempai) seniors), kohai (juniors) and doryo. (one of the six virtues of the warrior).
Nukite 抜き手 Spear-hand

-O-

Obi Belt or sash
Oi-zuki 追い突き Chasing, lunge punch
Onegaishimasu お願いします Please (and thank you in advance). Polite phrase used at the beginning of a teaching
Onsha 恩赦 Generosity, tolerance (one of the six virtues of the warrior)
Otoshi-uke 落とし受け Dropping downward block
Oyo-tan-ren 応用鍛錬 All basic technique

-P-

Pinan 平安 Literally meaning peace, Pinan (aka Heian) is the name of a basic kata series

-R-

Rei Bow
Ren-ma 練磨 Polishing, continuous improvement of chararacter, patience, and confidence.
Rokushakubo 六尺棒 Six foot staff
Ryu Martial tradition, style
Ryu-no-shita no kamae 龍の舌の構え Dragon-tongue fighting posture

-S-

Sagurite no kamae 探り手の構え Searching-hand fighting posture
Sai サイ Ancient weapon used to defend against sword attacks
Samurai Japanese warrior
Sasae-uke 支え受け Supported forearm block
Sashi Iron hand grip
Sayu-barai-uke Double lower side block
Sayu-zuki 左右突き Double side punch
Seiken 正拳 Fist
Seiken-ude-uke 正拳腕受け Forearm block
Seiken-waza 正拳技 Fist technique
Seiza 正座 Sit, kneeling
Semekata 攻め方 Attacking techniques
Sempai 先輩 Senior
Sensei 先生 Master or Teacher
Sensei-ni-rei 先生に礼 Bow to sensei
Shi-zuki Beak thrust
Shiai 試合 Contest, match
Shiki 士気 Resolution (one of the six virtues of the warrior)
Shinden-ni-rei 神殿に礼 All bow to those who came before us
Shinpan 審判 Judge, referee
Shinsa 審査 Examination
Shizentai-dachi 自然体立ち Natural stance
Shobayashi-ryu 諸林流 “Small forest” style, Shorin-ryu
Shorei-ryu 昭霊流 Naha-te style of Karate
Shorin-ryu 少林龍 “Shao-lin” style, Shuri-te karate
Shotei-ate Palm-heel smash
Shotei-uke Palm-heel block
Shuri-te 首里手 Karate from Shuri, Okinawa
Shuto 手刀 Open (knife hand)
Shuto-uchi 手刀撃ち Knife-hand strike
Shuto-uke 手刀受け Knife-hand block
Sokko Instep
Sokuto-geri Foot edge kick
Soto Outside, outward
Soto-hachiji Open leg
Sukima 隙間 Opening

-T-

Tameshiwari 試し割り Breaking technique
Tanden 丹田 Source of vital energy
Tanren kumite 鍛錬組手 Arm training
Tate hiji-ate 縦肘当て Upward elbow smash
Te Hand
Tenshin 転身 Body shifting
Tobi yoko-geri 飛び横蹴り Flying side kick
Tode 唐手 Ancient Okinawan fighting art
Tomari-te 泊手 Karate from Tomari, Okinawa
Tomoe Circular
Tomoe shotei-ate Circular palm-heel smash
Tomoe-zuki 巴突き Circular block and punch
Torite-uke 巴受け Grasping hand block
Toshokai Meeting to encourage discussion
Tsuki 突き Punch
Tsuki-uke 突き受け Punching block
Tsuki-waza 突き技 Punching technique
Tsumasaki 爪先 Tips of toes

-U-

Uchi-waza 撃ち技 Striking technique
Ude Forearm
Uechi-ryu 上地流 One of the major karate styles from Naha, Okinawa
Uke 受け Block
Ukekata 受け型 Blocking techniques
Uraken 裏拳 Backfist
Uraken-uchi 裏拳撃ち Backfist strike
Ushiro 後ろ Back
Ushiro hiji-ate 後ろ肘当て Backward elbow smash
Ushiro-geri 後ろ蹴り Back kick
Ushiro-Kokuto-geri 後ろコクと蹴り Back heel kick

-W-

Wari-uki-zuki Split-block punch
Waza Technique, skill

-Y-

Yama-zuki 山突き U-punch
Yame 辞め Stop (command)
Yoko Side
Yoko hiji-ate 横肘当て Side elbow smash
Yoko-geri 横蹴り Side kick
Yubi-waza 指技 Finger technique

-Z-

Zanshin 残心 Ready mind
Zazen 坐禅 Sitting meditation
Zenkutsu-dachi-gedan-barai-uke 前屈立ち下段払い受け Front leg bent stance lower block
Zenkutsu-dachi 前屈立ち Front leg bent stance
Zuki 突き Punch (suffix)

Miscellaneous:

Left Horse Stance for practicing Blocks and Strikes (AKA Left Sanchin): find a straight line on a floor. Place left foot in front, heel on the line, with toes pointed slightly inward. Place right foot with toes touching the line, toes pointed straight ahead or slightly inward inward. Feet should be about shoulder’s width apart. Bend knees and press knees outward, engaging the legs and gripping the floor with your feed. Perform your striking and blocking drills from this stance, then switch sides and repeat the drills from right sanchin stance.

Commentary by S.N. – Bunkai is an important aspect of our training because in prepares the mind/body for physical confrontation, which many are not routinely exposed to. People can freeze-up when a physical confrontation occurs. A current theory names this Behavioral In-action – “as your frontal lobes process the sight of the situation, your brain can’t find a match and gets stuck in a loop of trying and failing to come up with the right response – Hence: Immobility” (1). The military calls this process the “Dislocation of Expectation”. The Aviation Industry calls this “Negative Panic”.

(1) Information from “The Survivors Club by Ben Sherwood” 2010.

Another Source for Japanese Karate Terminology is a Penn State Website:

http://www.clubs.psu.edu/up/shotokan/terminology.html