| Japanese Term |
Meaning |
| AGE |
Rising |
| ASHI |
Foot |
| ASHI O KAETE |
Change leg (stance) |
| ATAMA |
Head |
| ATE WAZA |
Breaking techniques |
| ATEMI |
Striking the vital points |
| BO |
6-foot wooden staff tapered at each end |
| BUNKAI |
Practical fighting applications from the KATA |
| CHI |
Chi is the Chinese word for the basic energy that makes up the universe |
| CHOKU |
Straight |
| CHOKUSEN |
Straight line |
| CHUDAN (chew-dan) |
Centre area: from the collar to the belt, the stomach |
| DACHI (da-chee) |
Stance |
| DAN |
Black belt grades |
| DO |
"The Way" - refers to the choice of a particular route through the journey of life |
| DOJO |
Training hall -"The Place Of The Way" or the place, Jo, where you will learn the way, Do. |
| EMPI |
Elbow |
| FUMI KOMI |
Stamping kick |
| GASSHUKU (gas-cue) |
Training camp |
| GEDAN (gay-dan) |
Low area: the groin |
| GERI |
Kick |
| GERI WAZA |
Kicking techniques |
| GI |
Karate suit |
| GO |
Hard |
| GOJU RYU |
Hard (Go) Soft (Ju) Style (Ryu) |
| GOSHI/td>
| Hip |
| HAI (hi) |
I understand" (less formal than OSU) |
| HAISOKU |
The instep |
| HAISHU |
Backhand |
| HAITO |
Ridgehand |
| HAJIME |
Begin or continue at your own speed or count |
| HANMI |
Half front facing |
| HARA |
Stomach |
| HARAI |
Sweeping |
| HIDARI |
Left |
| HIZA |
Knee |
| HOJO UNDO |
Supplementary exercises (with equipment) |
| IPPON KEN |
One knuckle fist |
| IPPON KUMITE |
One point (attack) sparring - defender blocks and counter attacks |
| JIYU KUMITE |
Free style sparring (hard and fast, but controlled) |
| JO |
"The Place" |
| JODAN |
Upper area: from the collar up, the face |
| JU |
Soft |
| JUMBI UNDO |
Warming up exercises |
| KAISHO |
Open hand |
| KAKIE |
Pushing hands exercises and applications |
| KAMAE (cam-i) |
On guard i.e. take up position ready to fight in free sparring or assume a set position in moving basics |
| KARATE |
Empty hand |
| KARATE-DO |
The way of karate |
| KARATE-KA |
A student of karate |
| KATA |
Forms or patterns |
| KEAGE |
Snap kick |
| KEKOMI |
Thrust kick |
| KI |
See CHI |
| KI AI |
KI AI is the powerful karate shout. Its power comes from the stomach, not from the throat and ittightens the stomach muscles. A strong KI AI shows spirit. The KI AI comes with and helps KIME (focus). |
| KIHON |
Practice |
| KIHON KUMITE |
Basic one step sparring |
| KIHON WAZA |
Basic techniques |
| KIME |
Focus. There are two kinds of focus: momentary and continuous. In momentary focus all of our physicaland mental energies are concentrated in a small area of our body. Energy begins in the lower extremities,gathers momentum and power from the hips and stomach, then snaps at the point of contact with ouropponent's body. Continuous focus is found in SANCHIN and TENSHO - the "breathing" Katas
|
| KI O TSUKE |
Attention |
| KIRITSU |
Stand up |
| KOBUDO |
"The Way of Weapons" |
| KOSHI |
Ball of the foot |
| KUBI |
Neck |
| KUMITE (coo-me-tay) |
Sparring |
| KYU |
A coloured belt grade
|
| MAE (my) |
To the front |
| MAKIWARA |
Punching board |
| MAWATTE |
Turn round or about face |
| MIGI |
Right |
| MOKUSO |
Kneeling meditation. |
| MOMO |
Thigh |
| MON |
A junior grade between KYU grades
|
| NAGASHI UKE WAZA |
Sweeping block techniques |
| NUKITE |
Spearhand |
| OBI |
A coloured belt designating the grade of the practitioner |
| OSU (oos) |
Many meanings e.g. "Thank you" or "I understand" |
| RANDORI |
Slow and soft free style sparring with emphasis on technique- "Play fight" |
| REI (ray) |
Bow |
| RYU |
Style |
| SAI (sigh) |
A metal trident shaped weapon |
| SAN DAN GI |
Three movement sparring from Gekisai Kata |
| SANBON KUMITE |
Three step sparring (3 Jodan , 3 Chudan, 3 Gedan) |
| SEIKEN |
Fore fist
|
| SEIZA (say-czar) |
Kneel |
| SEMPAI |
Assistant instructors or higher graded students - usually a Brown belt |
| SENSEI |
Teacher - "The one who has gone before" - 1st Dan and above |
| SHIHAN |
Master - Chief Instructor |
| SHI SHI |
An Okinawan training aid |
| SHOMEN |
The front of the Dojo, which represents the contribution of past masters. We show our respects at thebeginning and end of each class and on entering or exiting the Dojo by bowing to this area. |
| SHUGO |
Line up |
| SIRI ASHI |
Sliding step |
| SOKUTO |
Foot edge |
| TAI SABAKI |
Turning step |
| TANDEN |
Area below the navel - The centre of CHI (KI) |
| TORI |
Defender |
| TSUKI (zoo-kay) |
Punch |
| UCHI (oo-chee) |
Strike |
| UDE (oo-day) |
Fore-arm |
| UKAE |
Attacker |
| UKE (oo-key) |
Block |
| UKEMI |
Breakfalls |
| URAKEN |
Backfist |
| USHIRO (oo-shi-ro) |
To the back |
| WAZA |
Techniques |
| YAME |
Stop |
| YOI |
Ready i.e. in Msubi Dachi position |
| YOKO |
To the side |
| YUDANSHA |
Collective term for Dan grade students |
