Karate terminology
This page contains a brief glossary of some of the more commonly used Japanese terminology Karateka will need on their way to gaining Black Belt.
The glossary includes the Japanese words / phrases, and their English translation, used during training sessions and gradings, and students should familiarise themselves with these terms alongside the HDKI Grading Syllabus. (The grading syllabus opens in a new browser window allowing you refer to them both side-by-side).
Your club instructor(s), Sensei, will use these terms often, helping you to understand their meanings and pronunciations. Any questions should be discussed with your club instructor.
| Japanese | Translation | Japanese | Translation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Terms | |||||
| Dojo | Training Hall | Dojo Kun | Dojo code | ||
| Sensei | Instructor | Seiza | Kneel | ||
| Rei | Bow | Yoi | Ready | ||
| Migi | Right | Hidari | Left | ||
| Kamae-te | Move to ready position | Hajime | Start/begin | ||
| Mawatte | Turn | Yame | Finish/stop | ||
| Gi | Karate suit | Obi | Belt | ||
| Kime | Focus | Kiai | Martial shout | ||
| Kihon | Basic techniques | Kata | Formal exercises | ||
| Kumite | Sparring | Zanshin | Martial state of mindor awareness | ||
| Jodan | Head | ||||
| Chudan | Middle body | Oss | Respectful greeting or acknowledgment orunderstanding of acommand | ||
| Gedan | Lower body | ||||
| Dachi - Stances | |||||
| Heiko dachi | Natural stance | Heisoku dachi | Feet together stance | ||
| Musubi dachi | Informal stance | Zenkutsu dachi | Front stance | ||
| Kiba dachi | Straddle stance | Shiko dachi | Open leg/Sumo stance | ||
| Kokutsu dachi | Back stance | ||||
| Uke - Blocks | |||||
| Gedan Barai | Downward block | Age Uke | Rising block | ||
| Soto Uke | Outside block | Uchi Uke | Inside block | ||
| Shuto uke | Knife hand block | Tate Shuto uke | Vertical knife hand block | ||
| Nagashi uke | Sweeping block | Haishu uke | Back hand block | ||
| Empi uke | Elbow block | Juji uke | X block | ||
| Morote uke | Augmented block | Kakewake uke | Wedge block | ||
| Tsuki - Punches | |||||
| Kara/Choku tsuki | Straight punch | Oi tsuki | Stepping punch | ||
| Kizami tsuki | Front hand punch | Gyaku tsuki | Reverse punch | ||
| Kagi tsuki | Hook punch | Ren tsuki | Two punch combination | ||
| Sanbon tsuki | Three punch combination | ||||
| Uchi - Strikes | |||||
| Age empi uchi | Rising elbow strike | Yoko empi uchi | Side elbow strike | ||
| Mawashi empi uchi | Round elbow strike | Ushiro empi uchi | Reverse elbow strike | ||
| Tate empi uchi | Downward elbow strike | Shuto uchi | Knife hand strike | ||
| Uraken uchi | Back fist strike | Tetsui uchi | Hammer fist strike | ||
| Nukite | Spear hand thrust | Teisho uchi | Palm heel strike | ||
| Haito uchi | Ridge hand strike | ||||
| Geri - Kicks | |||||
| Mae geri | Front kick | Yoko geri keage | Side snap kick | ||
| Yoko geri kekomi | Side thrust kick | Mawashi geri | Roundhouse kick | ||
| Ushiro geri | Back kick | Hiza geri | Knee kick | ||
| Ren geri | Kicking combinationsstepping between kicks | Nidan geri | Two kicks with same legwithout step between | ||
| &nbnbsp; | |||||
| Kumite - Sparring | |||||
| Sanbon Kumite | Three step sparring | Gohon Kumite | Five step sparring | ||
| Kihon Ippon Kumite | Basic one-step sparring | Jiyu Ippon Kumite | Semi-free style sparring | ||
| Kaishi Ippon Kumite | Reaction sparring | Jiyu Kumite | Free style sparring | ||
