Karate Terms & Numbers
“Rei - Martial Arts begins and ends with respect.” - Gichin Funakoshi
A guide to the most frequently used Japanese terms and names used in karate.
Numbers & Terms
1. ichi
2. ni
3. san
4. shi
5. go
6. roku
7. shichi
8. hachi
9. ku (kyuu)
10. juu
A
age: rising, upward
ago: chinai: union, meeting; harmony
aiki: harmony, union of energiesaikido: way of harmony; Japanese martial art of joint locking and throwing
aiuchi: simultaneously striking (each other); clash
aka: redashi: leg, foot
ashi-barai: foot sweep
atama: head
ate: hit, strike, smash
atemi: hit to body
awase: combined, joined together
ayumi: walking, stepping
B
barai (harai): sweep
basami (hasami): scissors
bo: staff, long stick used as weapon
bokken: wooden sword (katana) usually used for practice
bu: martial; war
budo: martial way; way of war
bunkai: analysis; study of kata applications
buse (fuse): lay down
bushi: warrior
bushido: way of the warrior; warrior code
C
chakugan: focus attention; viewpoint; looking at your opponent
chi gung (qigong): (Chinese) breath skill, breathing exercises to promote internal energy development
chika-ma: short distance
choku: direct, straight
chuan fa: (Chinese) fist way; Chinese martial art of striking and kicking, also known as kung fu or wushuchudan: middle level
chui: warning; usually the second warning in a competition match
D
dachi (tachi): stance; standing
dai (tai): big; great; body
dan: leveldaoshi (taoshi): topple, make fall
deshi: student
do: path, way; torso
dogi (gi): training uniform
dojo: place for studying the way; the room in which one practices budodomo
arigato: thank you
dori (tori): hold, grab; attacker, the one applying the technique
ukedosoku: across torso
dozo: please
E
embusen: line on floor; performance line of a kata, kata floor pattern
empi (hiji): elbow
ensho: heel
eri: collar
F
fudo: unmoving, rooted
fukushin: corner judge, assistant judge
fumikomi: thrusting step, stomp kick
furi: swinging
fuse (buse): lay down
G
gaeshi (kaeshi): reversing, returning
gaijin: outsider, foreigner, non-Japanese
gaiwan: outer forearm
garami (karami): entangle, entwine
gari (kari): cut, reap
gassho: joined palm
gasshuku: special training camp
gatame (katame): lock, hold, tighten
gedan: lower level
eiko (keiko): training, practice
geri (keri): kick
gi (dogi): training uniformgo: five; after
go-no-sen: seize the initiative later, usually involving a defense and then a counterattack
goshi (koshi): hip; ball of the foot
guruma (kuruma): wheel
gyaku: reverse, opposite
H
hachi: eight
hachiji: shape of character for hachi (8)
hadaka: naked
hai: yes
haishu: backhand
haisoku: instep of foot
haito: sword-ridge; ridge-hand
haiwan: back-arm, back of forearm
hajime: begin
hakama: traditional pleated pants worn by budo students
han: half
hangetsu: half-moon
hanmi: half-body, body turning
hansoku: rule violation; disqualification from a competition event
hantai: opposite side; oppositionhantei: decision
hara: stomach, belly
harai (barai): sweepharakiri: belly cut; form of ritual suicide
hasami (basami): scissors
hayai: quick, fast; early
heian: peace and stability; peaceful mind
heiko: parallel
heisoku: closed feet, feet together
henka: change sides; variation of a form or technique
hidari: left
hiji (empi): elbow
hiki: pull; retreat
hikiashi: pulling foot, pulling leg
hikite: pulling hand
hikiwake: tie, equal, draw
hineri: twisting
hiragana: written symbols used as part of the Japanese writing system
hiraken: flat fist, fore-knuckle fist
hiraki: lateral dodging
hitai: forehead
hiza: kneehodoki: freeing
hokotenkan: changes in directionhonbu: headquarters
I
iaido: way of harmony in action; Japanese martial art of drawing and cutting with the sword
ibuki: breath; forced abdominal breathing usually accompanied by throat contraction and guttural sound
ichi: one
ikken-hissatsu: one fist certain kill, to kill with one blow
inyo: symbol of the JKA
ippon: one point, one side, one step, etc.
ippon-ken: one-knuckle fistirimi: body entering
J
jiku-ashi: pivot leg; supporting leg
jime (shime): strangulation, choking
jinchu: philtrum area just above upper lip, part of the maxilla
jiyu (jyu): freestyle, free
jiyu-ippon-kumite: 1-step free sparring, semi-free sparring
jiyu-kumite: free sparringjo: short wooden staff
jodan: upper level
jogai: out of boundsjotai: upper body
ju: soft, gentle; ten
judo: gentle way; Japanese martial art of wrestling
juji: cross, shape of character for
ju (10)jujutsu: gentle art; Japanese martial art of striking, grappling, and joint manipulation
jun: follow, chase; corresponding to
jutsu: art, technique, skill
K
kachi: victory, win; value, merit
kaeshi (gaeshi): reversing, returning
kafukubu: abdomen
kagi: hook
kaikomi: lifting the knee high and tucked in close to body (preparing for kick)
kaisho: open hand(s)
kaiten: rotation
kakato: heel
kakiwake: wedge; push aside; separate
kakuto: crane-head; back of wrist
kamae: posture, position, guard
kamaete: go into position
kanji: Chinese script used as part of the Japanese writing system
kansetsu: joint; joint locking
kao: face
kara: empty
karami (garami): entangle, entwine
karate (karate-do): empty hand; Japanese martial art of punching, striking, and kicking
karateka: student of karate
kari (gari): cut, reap
kata: form, shape, pattern; one side; shoulder
katakana: written symbols used as part of the Japanese writing system
katame (gatame): lock, hold, tighten
katana: Japanese single-edged curved sword, preferred weapon of the samurai
keage: snap kick; rising kick
keiko (geiko): training
keikoku: caution; usually the first warning in a competition match
keimochi: Okinawan noble class
keito: chicken head
kekomi: thrust kick
ken: fist; sword
kensei: diversion, feint; sword saint, title given to a warrior of legendary skill in swordsmanship
kendo: way of the sword; Japanese martial art of fencing
kentsui: hammer-fist
keri (geri): kickki: internal energy, spirit, breath (pronounced chi in Chinese)
kiai: union of energy; spirit yell
kiba: horse-riding
kihon: basic, fundamental
kihon-gohon-kumite: basic 5-step sparring
kihon-ippon-kumite: basic 1-step sparring
kihon-sanbon-kumite: basic 3-step sparring
kiken: withdraw, retreat; forfeit (a match)
kime: focus; to decide; deciding factor; winning move
kinteki: testicles, groin region
ki-o-tsuke: ready at attention (in musubi-dachi)
kirigaeshi: returning cut
kirikae: switch, change
kirikae-ashi: switch the feet
kiritsu: stand up
kitsutsuki: woodpecker
kizami: jab; to nick, notch, or carve out; cutting; attacking with the lead hand or leg
ko: small
kobudo: ancient martial arts; the study of ancient weaponry
kohai: junior student
koho: rear, behind, back direction
koko: tiger-mouth
kokoro: spirit, heart
kokutsu: back bend
kokyu: breathing
komi: thrust, drive forward
kosa: cross
koshi (goshi): hip; ball of the foot
koshiki: traditional, old style
kote: wrist
kubotan: self defense keychain developed by Takayuki Kubota
kudaki: crush; break into pieces
kumade: bear-hand
kumi: meeting; grip
kumite: sparring; meeting of hands
kung fu (gung fu): (Chinese) great skill; martial art of striking and kicking, also known as chuan fa or wushukuro: blackkuruma (guruma): wheelkutsu (kussu): bend
kuzushi: unbalancing an opponent; demolish, collapse
kyoku: extreme; ultimate
kyu: rank; non-black belt; nine
kyusho: pressure point
L
M
ma: distance
maai: proper meeting distance between two partners
mae: front
maki: roll up, wrap
makiwara: rolled straw; striking post
manji: swastika; swirling, vortex
matte: stop, wait
mawashi: rotating, turning; circular
mawate: turn
men: face
mienai: could not see
migi: right
mikazuki: crescent-moon
mizu-nagare: water flowing
mokuso: meditation
morote: both hands, double-hand
moto-no-ichi: back to starting positions
muboubi: defenseless
mudansha: student possessing
kyu level, not black belt
mugorei: without count, no count
mukae: meet; go ahead
muki (muke): facing, direction
mune (muna): chest
mushin: no mind, without thought
muso: incomparablemusubi: united
N
nagashi: flowing
nage: throw, projection
naiwan: inner forearm
nakae: enter the fighting area
nami-gaeshi: returning wave
naname: diagonal
naore: recover
nei chia: (Chinese) internal styles (of martial arts)
neji: twisting, spiralling
neko-ashi: cat-leg
ni: twonigiri: control
nukete-masu: off target attack
nukite: spear-hand
O
o: big, great
obi: belt
okuri: sliding; sendingomote: front; facing; exterior
osae: pressing; holding, immobilizing
oshi: pushing
osu (oss): word of acknowledgement used in many karate dojo (implies "yes, I understand")
otagai: mutual, each other
otoshi: falling, dropping
oyo: application (of kata)
P
pankration: (Greek) all powerful; a "no rules" match of striking and wrestling introduced in the 33rd Olympics
Q
qigong (chi gung): (Chinese) breath skill, breathing exercises to promote internal energy development
R
randori: taking chaos,grasping freedom; freestyle practice
rei: bow; respectren: alternate, consecutive
renoji: L-shape, shape of character for
reroku: six
ryo: both, two
ryoken: both fistsryosho: both palms
ryosoku: both sides
ryu: school, style
ryuun: current clouds, flowing clouds
S
sabaki: shifting, dodging, displacing
sagiashi: crane-legsakate: throat
saken: left fist
samurai: to serve; ancient Japanese warriors
san: threes
anchin: hour-glass; 3 wars
sankaku: triangle
sasae-ashi: supporting leg
sashi: stealthy
sasho: left palm
seiken: fore-fist
seiritsu: line up
seiryuto: ox-jaw; sabre
seiza: sit correctly; kneel (position before and after budo class)
sempai: senior student
sen: before; advance; reaction; initiative
sen-no-sen: seize the initiative earlier, usually involving a simultaneous counter-attack
sen-sen-no-sen: seize the initiative in anticipation of opponent's attack (before the actual attack)
sensei: born before; teacher
senshu: competitor
sentei: selection, grouping
seppuku: ritual suicideshi (yon): four
shiai: match, contest
shichi (nana): seven
shihan: teacher; master teacher
shihon: four directions, four points, etc.
shikkaku: disqualification (from entire tournament)
shime (jime): strangulation, choking
shinai: practice sword made out of split bamboo, usually used in kendo
shiro: white
shitei: designation; mandatory