Japanese Karate-Do

GENERAL TERMS

• Karate: Empty Hands
• Karate Do: The Way of Karate
• Karateka: Practitioner of Karate
• Shotokan: "House of Shoto"; Pen name of Funakoshi
• Dojo: School of training or academy
• Sensei: Teacher
• Sempai: Senior
• Kohi: Junior
• Kyu: Rank
• Gi: Uniform
• Obi: Belt
• Osu: " I understand and will try my best." Also used to show respect,
  enthusiasm. Do not use outside the dojo!
• Budo: Way of combat
• Zanshin: Poise and control
• Kime: Focus
• Kihon: Fundamentals/Basics
• Kiai: Spirit shout/focus or spiritual energy
• Kata: Practice form
• Embusen: Floor pattern/lines of a kata
• Maai: Distance
• Bunkai: Application (interpretation) of kata techniques
• Kumite: Sparring/fighting
• Sanbon Kumite: Three-step sparring
• Ippon kumite: One-step sparring
• Jiyyu kumit: Free sparring
• Waza: Technique
• Dachi: Stance
• Tsuki (Zuki): Punch
• Uchi: Strike
• Uke: block
• Rei: Bow
• Geri: Kick
• Ashi-barai: Foot sweep
• Kamae: Posture
• Yame: Stop
• Yori-ashi: Sliding the feet
• Tai-sabaki: Body shifing
• Mokuso: Meditate/Gather Your Thoughts
• Dozo: Please
• Onegai Shimasu: "I welcome you to train with me"
• Aka: Red
• Shiro: White 
  
  

COUNTING

• Ichi: One
• Ni: Two
• San: Three
• Shi: Four
• Go: five
• Roku: Six
• Shichi: Seven
• Hachi: Eight
• Ku: Nine
• Ju: Ten
• NiJu: Twenty
• Ippon: First
  
  

DACHI WAZA (STANCE)

• Zenkutsu dachi: Front Stance
• Kokutsu dachi: Back Stance
• Kiba dachi: Straddle (Horse) Stance
• Fudo dachi: Fighting Stance
• Musubi dachi: Informal Attention Stance (feet in "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 
  
  

DIRECTION

• Mae: Front
• Yoko: Side
• Ushiro: Back
• Mawashi: Round
• Jodan: Head high level
• Chudan: Mid-high level
• Gedan: Low level; Down
• Migi: Right
• Hidari: Left
• Gyaku: Reverse
• Uchi: Inner
• Soto: Outer
  
  

UKE WAZA (BLOCKS)

• Age uke: Rising block
• Gedan uke: Down block
• Soto ude uke: Outside froearm block
• Shuto uke: Knife block
• Morote uke: Augmented block
• Juji uke: X block
• Manji uke: Hi/Low block (Heian 5)
• Tate Shuto uke: Vertical knife-hand block (Heain 3)
• Haishu uke: Back-hand block (Heian 5)
• Empi uke (or Hiji uke): Elbow block (Heian 3)
• Nagashi uke: Sweeping block 
  
  

GERI WAZA (KICKS)

• Mae geri keage: Front snap kick
• Yoko geri keage: Side snap kick
• Yoko kekomi: Side thrust kick
• Mawashi geri: Round house kick
• Ushiro geri: Back thrust kick
• Fumikomi geri: Stomping kick
• Uchi mikazuki geri: Inside crescent kick
• Soto mikazuki geri: Outside crescent kick
• Tobi geri: Flying kick
• Hiza ger: Knee kick/strike
• Nidan geri: double kick (Kanku-Dai)
• Ushiro mawashi geri: Reverse round house kick
  
  

TSUKI WAZA (PUNCHES)

• Oi tsuki: Lunge punch
• Gyaku tsuki: Revese punch
• Kizami tsuki: Jab
• Choku tsuki: Straight punch
• Kagi tsuki: Hook punch
• Oi-gyaku tsuki: Lunging revese punch
• Ura tsuki: Close punch
• Morote tsuki: Parallel punch
• Sanbon tsuki: triple punch
• Ren tsuki: Double punch
• Age tsuki: Rising punch
• Gedan tsuki: Down punch
• Yame tsuki: Wide "U" punch
• Otoshi tsuki: Dropping punch (Empi)
• Ippon Ken tsuki: One-knuckle fist punch (Hangetsu) 
  
  

UCHI WAZA (STRIKES)

• Tettsui: Hammer-fist strike
• Uraken Uchi: Backfist Strike
• Teisho Uchi: Palm Heel Strike
• Shuto Uchi: Knife Hand Stike
• Nukite Uchi: Spear Hand Strike
• Empi Uchi: Elbow Strike
• Tate Empi Uchi: Upward Elbow Strike 
  
  

26 SHOTOKAN KATA (To see kata videos, click here)

• Taikyoku (Kihon)
• Heian Shodan
• Heian Nidan
• Heain Sandan
• Heian Yondan
• Heian Godan
• Tekki Shodan
• Bassai Dai
• Tekki Nidan
• Kanku Dai
• Hangetsu
• Empi
• Tekki Sandan
• Jion
• Jiin
• Gankaku
• Jitte
• Bassai Sho
• Kanku Sho
• Sochin
• Chinte
• Nijushiho
• Gojushiho Dai
• Gojushiho Sho
• Unsu
• Meikyo
• Wankan