Japanese Terminology
Our dojo uses many Japanese terms. You will learn many naturally as your training progresses. Please check your specific promotion exam requirments to see which terms are required for your rank.

Click here for a simplified Japanese Terminology list suitable for younger and Pre-Karate Students.

Counting / Numbers:

one ichi
two ni
three san
four shi or yon
five go
six roku
seven shichi or nana
eight hachi
nine ku
ten ju

General Terminology:

upper area jodan
middle area chudan
lower area gedan
combative/guarding posture kamae
begin hajime
stop yame
focus kime
bow rei
ready yoi
left hidari
right migi
teacher (born before) Sensei
senior Senpai
junior Kohai
karate practitioner karateka
training hall dojo
uniform gi
empty hand karate
the way of the empty hand karate-do
basics kihon
forms kata
spirited yell kiai
punching board makiwara
meditate mokuso
belt obi
school or style ryu
kneel seiza
front wall shomen
attention kiyotsuke
back/rear foot of body ushiro
hand te
foot ashi
switch sides kaete
please teach me onegaishimasu or oss!
thank you very much arigato gozai mashita
turn around mawate
sparring kumite
one step sparring jiyu ippon kumite
slow free flowing sparring randori
application of kata bunkai
advanced application of kata oyo
body shifting tai sabaki
break falls ukemi

3-step sparring san dan kumite or san dan gi

Stances:

stance dachi
feet together heisoku dachi
heels together feet out at 45 degrees musubi dachi

parallel ready stance heiko dachi
natural stance hachiji dachi
square stance shiko dachi
hour glass stance sanchin dachi
front stance zenkutsu dachi
back stance kokutsu dachi
cat stance neko ashi dachi
horse riding stance kiba dachi
half front stance han zenkutsu dachi
Half-moon stance hangetsu dachi
Rooted stance fudo dachi

Blocks:

block uke
face block jodan uke
rising/face block age uke
chest block chudan uke
low block gedan uke
low sweeping block gedan barai
elbow block hiji uke or enpi uke
pulling/grasping block hiki uke
knee block hiza uke
wrist block ko uke
roundhouse block mawashi uke
knife hand block shuto uke
inside forearm block soto uke
outside forearm block uchi uke

Hand Techniques:

fist ken
punch or thrust zuki
strike uchi
fore fist punch seiken zuki
rising punch age zuki
face punch jodan zuki

chest punch chudan zuki
low punch gedan zuki
reverse punch gyaku zuki
lead punch, jab kizami zuki
lunge punch oi-zuki
double punch nihon zuki or niren zuki
triple punch sanbon zuki
hammer fist kentsui uchi
back fist strike uraken uchi
palm heel shotei or tesho uchi
elbow strike enpi uchi
U- punch awase zuki
finger thrust nukite zuki
ridge hand haito uchi
sword hand shuto uchi

Foot Techniques:

kick geri
foot ashi
foot sweep ashi barai
joint kick kansetsu geri
front kick mae geri
roundhouse kick mawashi geri
side kick yoko geri
jump kick tobi geri
back kick ushiro geri
hook kick hiki geri or udo mawashi geri
crescent kick mikazuki geri