Terminology

Counting in Japanese

1. Ichi
2. Ni 20. Niju
3. San 30. Sanju
4. Chi 40. Yonju
5. Go 50. Goju
6. Roku 60. Rokuju
7. Shichi 70. Nanaju
8. Hachi 80. Hachiju
9. Ku or Kyu 90. Kuju
10. Ju 100. Hyaku

General Terminology

Japanese English (order by translation)
KATA A form or prescribed pattern of movement fighting imaginary opponents.
KARATE NI SENTENASHI A term which sums up the essence of the art, it means ‘In Karate There Is No First Strike’. This saying can be found engraved on Master Funakoshi’s memorial stone.
HARA Abdomen.
BUNKAI Analysis, A study of the techniques and applications in KATA.
ZANSHIN Awareness. Even after a Karate technique has been completed, one should remain in a balanced and aware state.
USHIRO Back or Rear.
KOSHIN Backward movement. To move backwards.
KIHON Basic, (Something which is) fundamental. Basic techniques.
OBI Belt
SHODAN Black belt ranking, first level.
TAI SABAKI Body shifting/ movement/ evasion.
REI Bow, Respect. A method of showing respect in Japanese culture is the Bow.
NEKO-ASHI DACHI Cat Stance. A stance for leaving a cat’s paw mark in the sand, as well as being light and mobile.  Allows you to kick easily off of the front leg.
MUSUBI DACHI Cross Stance. Heels together but with each foot turned out at 45 degrees.
GEDAN BARAI UKE Down Block. Lower level sweeping block.
EMPI Elbow. Sometimes referred to as HIJI or spelt Enpi.
KARA Empty, when said by itself this would be ‘Kara no’.
KUMITE Fighting / Sparring
KEN Fist.
KIME Focus of Power and concentration
ZENSHIN Forward movement. To move forward.
ZENKUTSU DACHI Front Stance.
MAE GERI Front Kick
MAE Front or Forward.
KYU Grade. Any rank below Shodan.
OSS Greeting. A word particular to Karate, used as a form of greeting, or Yes etc.
TE Hand.
UCHI-UKE Inside Block generally used as a short version of Uchi Ude Uke.
KIZAMI TSUKI Jabbing Punch.
KOHAI Junior student, a student junior to oneself.
KERI Kick.
GERI Kick, when used with another word, it is spelled as Geri.  i.e. Mae Geri.
SEIZA Kneeling position. A proper sitting position. Sitting on one’s knees. Sitting this way requires acclimatization, but provides both a stable base and greater ease of movement than sitting cross-legged. It is used for the formal opening and closing of the class.
SHUTO UCHI Knife hand strike.
SHUTO Knife Hand.
SHUTO UKE Knife-hand Block.
HIDARI Left or Left Side.
ASHI Leg or Foot.
GEDAN Lower Level or Lower Section
OI-TSUKI Lunge punch.
MOKUSO Meditation. Practice often begins or ends with a brief period of meditation. The purpose of meditation is to clear one’s mind and to develop cognitive equanimity. Perhaps more importantly, meditation is an opportunity to become aware of conditioned patterns of thought and behavior so that such patterns can be modified, eliminated or more efficiently put to use.
CHUDAN Mid-Level or Mid-Section
KI Mind, Spirit, Energy, Vital-force, Intention. (Chinese ‘chi’) The definitions presented here are very general. KI is one word that cannot be translated directly into any language.
SOTO UKE Outside Block.
SOTO Outside, Outer or Exterior.
EMBUSEN Performance Line, the floor pattern of a given kata.
KA Person or Practitioner.
TSUKI Punch.
MAKIWARA Punching Board or post
YOI Ready, in a state of alertness.
GYAKU Reverse or Opposite.
GYAKU TSUKI Reverse Punch.
MIGI Right (Right Side).
MAWASHI GERI Roundhouse Kick
SEMPAI Senior student, a student senior to oneself.
HEIKO DACHI Shoulder stance. A natural stance. Feet positioned about one shoulder width apart, with feet pointed straightforward.
KIAI Shout delivered for the purpose of focusing all of one’s energy into a single movement. The best translation of kiai that I have found is “the expression of vital spirit”.
YOKO GERI Side Kick.
NUKITE Spear Hand
DACHI Stance or Position.
YAME Stop, but remain alert.
UCHI Strike or Striking.
KARATE-KA Student of Karate.
SHIKO DACHI Sumo Stance
SENSEI Teacher. It is usually considered proper to address the instructor during practice as ‘Sensei’ rather than by his/her name. If the instructor is a permanent instructor for one’s DOJO or for an organization, it is proper to address him/her as ‘Sensei’ off the mat as well.
WAZA Technique(s).
KARATE-DO The Way of the Empty Hand. This implies not only the physical aspect of Karate, but also the mental and social aspects of Karate. The true translation is ‘Empty Hand Way’.
KARATE The word karate is formed by the joining of two Japanese kanji or written characters. The first means ’empty’ whilst the second means ‘hand’. Karate is therefore simply translated as ’empty-hand’. When Funakoshi came to Tokyo karate translated as ‘Chinese-hands’. Karate was sometimes referred to as ‘Okinawan-te’. Funakoshi changed the kanji to read empty hand and is credited with doing so in 1935 with the publication of ‘karate-do kyohan’.
DOJO Training building. Literally ‘place of the Way’ The place where we practice Karate. Traditional etiquette prescribes bowing in the direction of the designated front of the dojo (SHOMEN) whenever entering or leaving the dojo.
GI (ghee) Training costume.
SAN REN TSUKI Triple Punch. The first is Jodan followed by two Chudan punches.
MAWATE Turn around, a command given by the instructor for students to turn around.
TATE Up. Get up.
JODAN AGE UKE Upper Block. Upper level rising block.
JODAN Upper level.
AGE Upper or Rising.
DO Way/path. The Japanese character for ‘DO’ is the same as the Chinese character for Tao (as in Taoism). In Karate, the connotation is that of a way of attaining enlightenment or a way of improving one’s character through traditional training.