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Karate Terminology

If a karateka learns the japanese karate terminology, (s)he will be able to enter any karate dojo in the world and able to understand and workout .

GENERAL TERMS

  • Karate: Empty Hands
  • Karate Do: The Way of Karate
  • Karateka: Practitioner of Karate
  • Dojo: School or training room
  • Sensei: Teacher
  • Sempai: Senior
  • Kohai: Junior
  • Kyu: Rank
  • Gi: Uniform
  • Obi: Belt
  • Hai: Yes
  • Osu: "I understand and will try my best." 
    Also used to show respect, entusiasm.
    Do not use outside of the dojo!
  • Do: Way
  • Budo: Way of combat
  • Zanshin: Poise and control
  • Kime: Focus
  • Kihon: Fundamentals
  • Kiai: Spirit shout/focus of spiritual energy
  • Kata: Practice form
  • Embusen: Floor pattern/lines of a kata
  • Maai: Distance
  • Bunkai: Application (interpretation) of kata techniques
  • Kumite: Sparring/fighting
  • Ippon kumite: One-step sparring
  • Yakusoku kumite: "Promise" premeditated sparring
  • Gohon kumite: Five-step sparring
  • Jiyyu kumite: Free sparring
  • Waza: Technique
  • Dachi: Stance
  • Tsuki (Zuki): Punch
  • Uchi: Strike
  • Uke: Block
  • Geri: Kick
  • Ashi-barai: Foot sweep
  • Kamae: Posture
  • Yori-ashi: Sliding the feet
  • Tai-sabaki: Body shifting
  • Shotokan: "House of Shoto" ; "pine sea"; pen name of Funakoshi.
  • DomoArigato Gozaimashita: "Thank-you very much"
  • Onegai Shimasu: "I welcome you to train with me" 
    Literally: " I make a request." Said to one's partner when initiating practice.

MAJOR CONCEPTS


  • Zanshin: Awareness; Continuing mind/heart - connotes "following through" a technique while maintaining awareness
  • Sen: Initiative
  • Sen no sen: Seizing the initiative earlier; Attacking at the same moment your opponent attacks.
  • Go no sen: Seizing the initiative later; Allowing your opponent to attack first so as to open up target for counter-attacks.
  • Sen sen no sen: Seizing the opponents sen no sen; Attacking before your opponent attacks-a preemptive attack.
  • Ikken Hissatsu: "To kill with one blow"
  • Karate ni sente nashi: Karate does not include the first move.
  • Karate wa sente nari: Karate is the first move.
  • Shorin (kata): Quick movement, emphasizing speed
  • Shorei (kata): Slow, strong movement, emphasizing strength
  • Sun-dome: Stopping a technique just prior to contact (three centimeters)

COMMANDS


  • Narande: Line up
  • Seiretsu: Line up by rank
  • Yoi: Ready
  • Yame: Stop
  • Yasume: Relax (or ready position)
  • Sensei ni: Face towards the teacher
  • Otaigai ni: Face towards each other
  • Shomen ni: Face towards the front
  • Rei: Bow
  • Seiza: Meditation position-kneeling
  • Age-te: Hands up (cover position)
  • Mawatte: Turn around
  • Hajime: Begin
  • Naore: Return to Shizen-tai


DIRECTIONS


  • Mae: Front
  • Yoko: Side
  • Ushiro: Back
  • Tate: Vertical
  • Mawashi: Round
  • Jodan: Head high level
  • Chudan: Mid-high level
  • Gedan: Low level; Down
  • Migi: Right
  • Hidari: Left
  • Tobi: Jump
  • Gyaku: Reverse
  • Age: Rising
  • Uchi: Inner
  • Soto: Outer
  • Otoshi: Dropping
  • Sokumen: Side




DACHI WAZA (STANCES)

  • Kamae:Posture (Yoi)
  • Heisoku dachi: Formal Attention Stance (Yoi)
  • Zenkutsu dachi: Front Stance
  • Kokutsu dachi: Back Stance
  • Kiba dachi: Straddle Stance
  • Fudo dachi: Fighting Stance
  • Musubi dachi: Informal Attention Stance (feet in a 'V")
  • Hachiji dachi: Open-legged Stance (Yoi)
  • Shizen-tai dachi: Natural Stance
  • Neko-ashi dachi:Cat Stance
  • Renoji dachi: "L" Stance
  • Kosa dachi: Cross-legged Stance
  • Hangetsu dachi: Wide Hour-glass Stance
  • Migi Ashi Orishiku: Right Leg Kneeling
  • Hidari Ashi Orishiku: Left Leg Kneeling



UKE WAZA (BLOCKS)


  • Age uke: Rising block
  • Gedan uke: Down block
  • Soto ude uke: Outside forearm block
  • Uchi ude uke: Inside forearm block
  • Shuto uke: Knife block
  • Morote uke: Augmented block
  • Kakiwaki uke: Reverse wedge block (Heian 4)
  • Juji uke: X block
  • Kosa uke: Cross block (Uchi/gedan uke-Heian 3)
  • Manji uke: Hi/low block (Heian 5)
  • Tate shuto uke: Vertical knife-hand block (Heian 3)
  • Haishu uke: Back-hand block (Heian 5)
  • Empi uke (or Hiji uke): Elbow block (Heian 3)
  • Osae uke: Pressing block (Heian 2, 3)
  • Otoshi uke: Dropping or falling block (Heian 2, 3)
  • Nagashi Uke: Sweeping block (Tekki, Jion)
  • Haiwan Nagashi Uke: Sweeping back-arm block
  • Te Nagashi Uke: Sweeping hand block (parry) (Heian 5)
  • Sukui Uke: Scooping block (Bassai, Chinte)
  • Sokumen Awase Uke: Side combined block (Bassai-Dai)
  • Tsukami Uke: Grasping block (Bassai-Dai, Jion)
  • Awase Shuto Age Uke: Combined rising knife-hand block (Kanku-Dai)
  • Ryowan Uchi Uke: Double inside block( Jion, Bassai-Sho)
  • Seiryuto Uke: Ox-Jaw block


GERI WAZA (KICKS)


  • Mae geri keage: Front snap kick
  • Mae geri kekomi: Front thrust kick
  • Yoko geri keage: Side snap kick
  • Yoko geri kekomi: Side thrust kick
  • Mawashi geri: Round kick
  • Ushiro geri: Back thrust kick
  • Fumikomi geri: Stomping kick (Heian 3, 5)
  • Uchi mikazuki geri: Inside crescent kick
  • Soto mikazuki geri: Outside crescent kick
  • Tobi geri: Flying kick
  • Name ashi geri: Returning wave kick (Tekki 1)
  • Hiza geri: Knee kick/strike
  • Nidan geri: Double kick (Kanku-Dai)



TSUKI WAZA (PUNCHES)


  • Oi tsuki: Lunge punch
  • Gyaku tsuki: Reverse punch
  • Kizami tsuki: Jab
  • Choku tsuki: Straight punch
  • Kagi tsuki: Hook punch
  • Oi-gyaku tsuki: Lunging reverse punch
  • Ura tsuki: Close punch
  • Morote tsuki: Parallel punch
  • Ren tsuki: Double punch
  • San tsuki: Triple punch
  • Age tsuki: Rising punch
  • Gedan tsuki: Downward punch
  • Yama tsuki: Wide "U" punch
  • Awase tsuki: "U" punch
  • Otoshi tsuki: Dropping punch (Empi)
  • Ippon Ken tsuki: One-knuckle fist punch (Hangetsu)


UCHI WAZA (Strikes)


  • Tettsui Hammer-fist strike
  • Kumade Uchi: Bear Claw Strike
  • Uraken Uchi: Backfist Strike
  • Hiraken Uchi: Foreknuckle Strike
  • Teisho Uchi: Palm Heel Strike
  • Ippon Nukite Uchi: Single Finger Strike
  • Nihon Nukite Uchi: Two Finger Strike (Fork)
  • Shuto Uchi: Knife Hand Strike
  • Soto Shuto Uchi: Outside Knife Hand Strike
  • Uchi Shuto Uchi: Inside Knife Hand Strike
  • Shihon Nukite Uchi: Spear Hand Strike
  • Gyaku Haito Uchi:Reverse Backfist Strike
  • Haito Uchi: Backfist Strike
  • Empi Uchi: Elbow Strike
  • Mawashi Empi Uchi: Round Elbow Strike
  • Mae Empi Uchi: Front Elbow Strike
  • Otoshi Empi Uchi: Downward Elbow Strike
  • Ushiro Empi Uchi: Back Elbow Strike
  • Yoko Empi Uchi: Side Elbow Strike
  • Yoko Mawashi Empi Uchi: Side Roundhouse Elbow Strike
  • Tate Empi Uchi: Upward Elbow Strike
  • Hiza Age Ate: Rising Knee Strike
  • Washide Uchi: Eagle Beak Strike
  • Koko Uchi: Tiger Mouth Strike
  • Haishu Uchi: Back Hand Strike


KATA
  • Taikyoku: First Cause
  • Heian: Peaceful mind
  • Tekki: Iron Knight
  • Bassai: Storm the Fortress
  • Sho: Lesser, small
  • Dai: Greater, big
  • Jion: Bhuddist temple name; Gratitude for the Bhudda (2nd Kyu)
  • Kanku: To look at the sky (2nd Kyu)
  • Hangetsu: Crescent or Half moon (1st Kyu)
  • Empi: Flying Swallow (1st Kyu)
  • Chinte: Extraordinary Hands (Nidan)
  • Jitte: Ten Hands (Nidan)
  • Gankaku: Crane on a rock (Sandan)
  • Sochin: To keep the peace; Grand Suppression (Sandan)
  • Nijushiho: Twenty-four steps (Sandan)
  • Shorei Kata: Light and quick; emphasizing agility and speed
  • Shorin Kata: Slow, hard, and strong; emphasizing muscles and strength



BODY PARTS


  • Ken: Fist
  • Ippon Ken: Single-point index-finger Fist
  • Tate Ken: Vertical Fist
  • Te: Hand
  • Kaishu: Open hand
  • Tekubi: Wrist
  • Teisho: Palm heel
  • Ude: Forearm
  • Empi (also Hiji): Elbow
  • Ashi: Leg
  • Ashikubi: Ankle
  • Hiza (also Hitsui): Knee
  • Ensho: Back of the heel
  • Heisoku: Top (instep) of the foot
  • Teisoku: Bottom of the foot
  • Kakato: Heel of the foot
  • Koshi: Ball of the foot
  • Sokuto: Outer edge (knife) of the foot
  • Tsumasaki: Toe tips
  • Atama: Head
  • Wan: Arm
  • Naiwan: Back of Arm
  • Kata: Shoulder
  • Jiku Ashi: Pivot leg
  • Jodan: Head level
  • Chudan: Mid-level
  • Gedan: Lower level



COUNTING


  • Ichi: One
  • Ni: Two
  • San: Three
  • Shi: Four
  • Go: Five
  • Roku: Six
  • Shichi: Seven
  • Hachi: Eight
  • Ku: Nine
  • Ju: Ten
  • NiJu: Twenty
  • NiJu-Go: Twenty-five
  • Hyaku: One Hundred
  • Ippon: First
  • Yon: Fourth
  • Gohon: Fifth



COLORS


  • Shiro: White
  • Ki: Yellow
  • Ao: Blue
  • Midori: Green
  • Murasaki: Purple
  • Cha: Brown
  • Kuro: Black
  • Aka: Red



TOURNAMENT TERMS

  • Sanbon Shobu: Three point Match
  • Ippon shobu: One point match; used in tournaments
  • Sanbon Shobu Hajime: Start the Match
  • Shobu hajime: Start the Match
  • Tsuzukete hajime: Resume fighting — begin. Referee standing on his line steps back into zenkutsu dachi and brings palms of hands toward each other
  • Shiai-jo: Ring (size = 8-10 meters square)
  • Wazari: Half point
  • Ippon: Full point
  • Toranai: No point
  • Jogai: Out of Bounds; Referee points with index finger at a 45� angle to the area boundary on the side of the offender.
  • Jogai keikoku: Second exit from fighting area. Waza-ari penalty given to opponent.
  • Jogai keikoku: 4th and final exit from the fighting area. 4th exit causes victory to the opponent.
  • Ai-uchi: Clash; simultaneous scoring technique, no point awarded to either. Referee brings fists together in front of chest.
  • Uchi-majiri: Brawl (melee)
  • Atoshi baraku: A little more time left; an audible signal given by time keeper 30 seconds before actual end of bout.
  • Jikan: Time
  • Encho-sen: Extension; after a draw, the match goes into overtime. Referee reopens match with command "shobu hajime".
  • (Aka/Shiro) No Kachi: (R/W) Victorious
  • Fusen-gachi: Victory by default
  • Hansoku-make: Lose by disqualification
  • Hikiwake: Draw; referee crosses arms over chest, then uncrosses and holds arms out from the body with the palms showing upwards.
  • Hansoku: Foul; imposed following serious infraction, results in opponents score being raised to sanbon.
  • Shugo: Judges called. Referee beckons with arms to the judges.
  • Fukushin shugo: Judges conference
  • Hantei: Judge’s decision/decision; judgement. Referee calls for judgement by blowing his whistle and judges render their decision by flag signal
  • Mienai: I could not see. A call by a judge to indicate that a technique was not visible from his/her angle.
  • Hantei kachi: Winner by decision
  • Chui: Warning
  • Shido: Light warning
  • Atenai yoni: Warning without penalty; referee raises 1 hand in fist with other hand covering it at chest level and shows it to offender.
  • Hansoku chui: Warning with an ippon penalty, ippon added to opponents score.
  • Keikoku: Severe warning; warning with waza-ari penalty in sanbon shobu. Penalty added to opponents score. Imposed for minor infractions for which a warning has previously been given in the bout. Referee points index finger to feet of offender at angle of 45�.
  • Mumobi: Warning for lack of regard for one’s own safety. Referee points 1 index finger in the air at a 60� angle on side of offender.
  • Mumobi keikoku: Warning with waza-ari penalty.
  • Shikkaku: Disqualification; opponents score raised to sanbon.
  • Shiro: White
  • Aka: Red
  • Aite: Opponent



WEAPONS


  • Bo: Long staff
  • Jo: Short staff
  • Sai: forked knife (Jitte)
  • Nunchaku: Thrasher (two sticks joined by a chain)
  • Kama: Sickles
  • Tonfa: Batons
  • Shinai: Bamboo sword
  • Bokken: Wooden sword
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