General terms

Jodan		Face Area
Chudan		Chest Area
Gedan		Lower Area
Hidari		Left
Migi		Right
Mae		Forward
Yoko		Side
Ushiro		Backward
Gyaku		Reverse
Tate		Upward
Otoshi		Downward
Soto		Outward
Uchi		Inward
Dojo		Training Hall
Shugo		Line Up
Mokuso		Meditation
Yoi		Ready Position
Rei		Bow
Naore		Return to ready
Kamae		Guard
Gyaku Kamae		Reverse Guard
Osu		Karate Greeting (Yes, Thank you, Hello etc)
Mawatte		Turn Around
Nukite		Spear Hand/knife hand
Ashi		Foot
Yame		Stop
Hajime		Begin
Rei		Bow
Sei Za		Kneel
Gi		Uniform
Kiai		Shout with spirit
Shome ni Rei		Bow to Flag
Sensei ni Rei		Bow to Sensei
Otagai ni Rei		Bow to each other
Karateka		Student of Karate
KarateGi		Uniform
Kihon		Basic techniques
Kata		A pre-arranged sequence of techniques against imaginary opponents
Kumite		The pratical application of techniques learned against an opponent/partner.
Ippon		One Point
Wazari		Half Point
Ashi		Foot

Return to Top Of Page

Ranks and Titles

Kyu		Junior Student ( From 9°Kyu White-Belt up to 1°Kyu Brown-Belt )
Dan		Senior Student ( From 1°Dan Black-Belt up to 10°Dan Black-Belt )
Kohai		Lower Grade
Sempai		Higher Grade
Sensei		Teacher
Shihan		Master

Return to Top Of Page

Numbers

Ichi	One	ju-ichi	Eleven
Ni	Two	ju-ni	Twelve
San	Three	ju-san	Thirteen
Shi	Four Note 4 is considered to be an unlucky number. 4 (shi) sounds just like the word for 'death'.	ju-shi (ju-yon)	Fourteen
Go	Five	ju-go	Fifteen
Roku	Six	ju-roku	Sixteen
Shichi	Seven	ju-nana/ju-shichi	Seventeen
Hachi	Eight	ju-hachi	Eighteen
Kyu	Nine	ju-kyu/ju-ku	Nineteen
Jyu	Ten	ni-ju	Twenty

		san-ju	Thirty
		yon-ju	Forty
		go-ju	Fifty
		roku-ju	Sixty
		nana-ju	Seventy
		hachi-ju	Eighty
		kyu-ju	Ninety
		hyaku	Hundred

Return to Top Of Page

UKE - BLOCKS

AGE UKE		Upper Rising Block. Used to guard against an attack to the face.

GEDAN BARAI		Lower Level Sweep.

HAISHU UKE		Back Hand Block. A block using the back of the hand.

HAITO UKE		Ridge-hand Block.

JUJI UKE		X Block.

KAKIWAKE UKE		Reverse Wedge Block. A two handed block used when an attacker attempts to grab the front chest area of the defender.

MAWASHI (KAKE) UKE		Round House (Hooking) Block

MIKAZUKI GERI UKE		Crescent Kick Block, where the kick is used to block an attack.

MOROTE UDE UKE		Augmented Forearm Block. One arm and fist support the other arm in a block. The assisting arm also guards the solar plexus.

SHUTO UKE		Knife-hand Block.

SOTO UDE UKE		Middle Level Outside Forearm Block

TATE SHUTO UKE		Vertical Knife Hand Block.

TEISHO UKE		Palm Heel Block.

UCHI UDE UKE		Middle Level Inside Forearm Block.

Return to Top Of Page

UCHI - STRIKES

EMPI UCHI		Elbow strike (also called HIJI-ATE).

HAISHU UCHI		Back Hand Strike. A strike with the back of the hand where the hand and fingers are straight.

HAITO UCHI		Ridge-hand Strike.

IPPON NUKITE		One Finger Strike. A stabbing action using the extended index finger.

NIHON NUKITE		Two-Finger Strike

NUKITE		Spear Hand

TEISHO UCHI		Palm Heel Strike.

TETTSUI UCHI		Bottom Fist Strike.

URAKEN UCHI		Back Fist Strike

Return to Top Of Page

TSUKI - PUNCHES

AGE TSUKI (ZUKI)		Rising Punch. Seen in the Kata EMPI

CHOKU TSUKI		Straight Punch.

GYAKU TSUKI		Reverse Punch.

KIZAMA TZUKI		Jab Punch

IPPON KEN		One Knuckle Fist.

JUN TSUKI		Corresponding Punch. i.e. punching with the same arm as the leg that is forward.

REN TSUKI		Double punch

KIZAMI TSUKI		Jabbing Punch.

MAWASHI TSUKI		Roundhouse Punch.

MOROTE TSUKI		Augmented Punch or U-Punch. Punching with both fists simultaneously.

OI-TSUKI		Lunge punch.

SANBON TSUKI		A series of three punches, generally the first is OI TSUKI JODAN, followed by a slight pause then, CHUDAN GYAKU TSUKI, immediately followed by CHUDAN TSUKI, but it can be performed with three punches to the same target.

TATE TSUKI		Vertical Punch. A fist punch where the knuckles hit the target along a vertical plane.

URA TSUKI		An upper cut / close punch used at close range. Sometimes called STAZ TSUKI.

YAMA TSUKI		A wide U-shaped dual punch. Also called Mountain Punch, YAMA=MOUNTAIN.

Return to Top Of Page

GERI - KICKS

FUMIKOMI		Stamping kick, usually applied tithe knee, shin, or instep of an opponent.

HIZA GERI (strike)		Knee Kick.

KIZAMA GERI		Front kick using the front leg and thrown with a jabbing action.

MAE GERI		Front Kick.

MAWASHI GERI		Roundhouse Kick.

MIKAZUKI GERI		Crescent Kick.

NIDAN GERI		Double Kick, as seen at the end of the Kata KANKU DAI.

REN-GERI		Alternate kicking.

TOBI GERI		Jumping Kick.

USHIRO GERI		Back Kick.

YOKO GERI KEAGE		Side Snap Kick.

YOKO GERI KEKOMI		Side Thrust Kick. .

Return to Top Of Page

ASHI WAZA - LEG TECHINQUES

ASHI BARAI		Foot/Leg Sweep. You may also see this as Ashi Harai.

NAMI ASHI		Inside Snapping Block, also known as Returning Wave, as seen in the Kata Tekki Shodan.

YORI ASHI		Sliding The Feet, Without Legs Crossing.

Return to Top Of page

DACHI - STANCES

FUDO DACHI		Rooted Stance.

HACHIJI DACHI		Open Leg Stance. The feet are positioned about one shoulder width apart and pointed outwards at 45 degrees. The true full name for this stance should be 'Soto Hachiji Dachi', and when the feet are angled in at 45 degrees the name is 'Uchi Hachiji Dachi'.

HANGETSU DACHI		Half-Moon Stance. The feet are wide apart and the knees are dropping in, making the shape of an hourglass.

KIBA DACHI		Straddle Stance. Also known as HORSE RIDING STANCE. The feet are wide apart and both feet are pointing forwards. then sink down in the stance as if you were sitting on a horse. You should not be able to see your feet, as they should be covered by your knees.

KOKUTSU DACHI		Back Stance. A stance, which has 70 percent of the weight to the back. The front foot is pointing forwards and the back foots heel is on the same parallel line as the front foot but angled at 90 degree's.

KOSA DACHI		Cross Stance or as it is more commonly called Crossed-feet Stance (which would be Kosa Ashi Dachi). The front foot is pointing forwards and the rear foots instep is pressed up against the Achilles tendon area of the front foot. The ball of the rear foot is touching the floor. Both knees are slightly bent.

MUSUBI DACHI		Informal attention stance, Heels placed together but with each foot turned out at 45 degrees. This used to be called 'Linked Feet Stance'

SAGI ASHI DACHI		Heron Leg Stance. A one Leg Stance where the sole of the raised foot is placed against the inside of the supporting legs knee.

SANCHIN DACHI		Hourglass Stance. As seen in the Kata Nijushiho. The rear foot and toes are pointed forwards and the heel of the front foot is level with the front of the toes of the rear foot, but the front foot is angled in at 45 degrees. Both knees are dropped in guarding the groin.

SASHI ASHI-DACHI		Stepping across / extending the foot. As seen at the start of the Kata Tekki Shodan.

SHIKO DACHI		Square Stance, or Four Thigh Stance also sometimes called SUMO STANCE. Similar to Kiba Dachi but with the feet turned out.

SHIZEN DACHI		Natural Stance.

TSURU ASHI DACHI		Crane Leg Stance. A one-leg stance where the instep of the raised leg is held against the rear of the knee of the supporting leg.

ZENKUTSU DACHI		Forward Stance. The actual translation means Front Knee Bent Stance.

Return to Top Of Page

KATA NAMES.

TAIKYO KYU	First Cause
HEIAN SHODAN	Peaceful Mind First Level
HEIAN NIDAN	Peaceful Mind Second Level
HEIAN SANDAN	Peaceful Mind Third Level
HEIAN YONDAN	Peaceful Mind Fourth Level
HEIAN GODAN	Peaceful Mind Fifth Level
TEKKI SHODAN	Horse Riding First Level
TEKKI NIDAN	Horse Riding Second Level
TEKKI SANDAN	Horse Riding Third Level
BASSAI DAI	To penetrate a fortress Minor
BASSAI SHO	To penetrate a fortress Major
KANKU DAI	Viewing the Sky Minor
KANKU SHO	Viewing the Sky Major
HANGETSU	Half Moon (Han means half. Getsu means moon)
EMPI	Flying Swallow
GANKAKU	Crane on a Rock
JITTE	Ten Hands
JI-ON	From the temple of Jion
JI-IN	Temple grounds
CHINTE	Strange Hands
MEIKYO	Polished Mirror
NIJUSHIHO	Twenty-Four Steps
SOCHIN	Immovable in the face of danger
WANKAN	King's Crown
UNSU	Hands in the cloud

GOJUSHIHO DAI	Fifty Four Steps Minor
GOJUSHIHO SHO	Fifty Four Steps Major

GANKAKU SHO	Crane on a rock - Major

NIJUHACHIHO	Twenty Eight Steps (although there are actually 56 steps - each action requiring two techniques)

Return to Top Of Page