Terms in Karate
空手用語
● Pronunciation ● Numbers ● Stances ● Arm Attacks
● Leg Attacks ● Levels of Attacks ● Blocks ● Dojo Kun
● Kata
● Kumite ● General Terms ● Tournament Terms
Courtesy of the Yale Shotokan
Karate Club. and JKA of NY/NJ
Pronunciation
All vowels are short and pronounced as
follows:
あ "a" as in
"father"
い "i" as in
"teen" except shorter
う "u" as in
"boot" except shorter
え "e" as in
"bet"
お "o" as in
"boat" except shorter and without the off-glide
Longer vowel sounds are the same sounds as
above, but given more time.
あゝ "aa," a longer "a"
いゝ "ii," a longer "i"
うゝ "uu," a longer "u"
えゝ "ei," a longer "e"
おゝ "oh," a longer "o"
Except for the above, if you see two or
more vowels in a row, they are each pronounced clearly without becoming a
single diphthong. An apostrophe is used where a glottal stop occurs (like
between the "n" and the second "a" when pronouncing "an
apple").
Consonants always
take their "hard" sounds. So "gi" is pronounced with a hard
"g" (i.e., not "ji"). "Ch" is always as in
"cheese."
The hyphens don't mean anything but serve
to distinguish separate syllables when it might be ambiguous, or to separate a
word into two semantic parts. There shouldn't be a pause for hyphens.
Parentheses are used whenever a word might
be omitted by some people, or if the translation could mean more than one
thing. For example, "nukite," literally only means "spear
hand," which is just the name of the "weapon" you form with your
hand, but it is also often used to mean the attack, "spear-hand
thrust." So "thrust" is in parentheses.
Quotation marks are used on the English
side to distinguish between literal translations of the Japanese terms from
their more figurative meanings (quotes indicate literal translation).
Numbers
一 1 ichi
二 2 ni
三 3 san
四 4 shi (yon)
五 5 go
六 6 roku
七 7 shichi (nana)
八 8 hachi
九 9 ku (kyuu) (Q)
十 10 juu
When counting for class, just pronounce
the first syllable of bisyllabic numbers (i.e., ich, rok, shich, hach), for
shorter, sharper counting.
Stances
八字立ち hachiji-dachi
(hachinoji-dachi) -- ready stance
前屈立ち zenkutsu-dachi -- front stance
後屈立ち koh-kutsu-dachi -- back stance
騎馬立ち kiba-dachi -- horse stance /
saddle stance
猫足立ち neko-ashi-dachi -- cat stance
壮鎮立ち sochin-dachi / fudoh-dachi -- sochin stance /
"immovable" stance
三戦立ち sanchin-dachi --
"hourglass" stance
半月立ち hangetsu-dachi -- "half
moon" stance
Arm Attacks
突 き tsuki -- punch
順突き oi-zuki -- lunge punch
逆突き gyaku-zuki -- reverse punch
刻突き kizami-zuki -- jab punch
抜き手 nukite -- spear-hand
(thrust)
裏 拳 ura-ken -- back hand
(strike)
猿 臂 empi -- elbow (strike)
Leg Attacks
蹴 り keri -- kick
前蹴り mae-geri -- front (snap)
kick
廻蹴り mawashi-geri -- round house
kick
蹴込み (yoko-geri) kekomi -- side thrust
kick
蹴上げ (yoko-geri) keage -- side snap kick
後蹴り ushiro-geri -- back (thrust)
kick
Levels of Attack
上段 joh-dan "upper level" /
face
中段 chuudan "middle level" /
stomach / solar plexus
下段 gedan
"lower level" / groin
Blocks: Uke Waza
挙げ受け age-uke
rising block
腕 受け ude-uke
"arm block", often used to mean outside block
外 受け soto-uke
outside block (see above)
内 受け uchi-uke
inside block
下段払い gedan barai down block / "lower
level sweep"
猿臂受け empi-uke elbow
block
手刀受け shuto-uke
knife-hand block
流し受け nagashi-uke
"flushing block" / deflecting block
掻き分け kakiwake-uke two-handed
"separating" block
諸手受け morote-uke double forearm
block
十字受け juuji-uke
two-handed
"cross" block, (heian godan)
背腕受け haiwan-uke (two-handed)
"back arm" block, (heian nidan)
背手受け haisyu-uke (two-handed)
"back knife-hand" block, (heian yondan)
縦手刀受け tate-shuto-uke half knife-hand block, (chinte)
押さえ受け osae-uke dropping palm
block, (nijyuu-shi-ho)
落とし受け otoshi-uke dropping
forearm block
開掌開け受け kaisyo-ake-uke open palm
rising block, (kanku-dai)
開掌十字受け kaisyo-yuuji-uke open-palm
x block, (heian godan)
手刀下段払い syuto-gedan-barai knife-hand down block /
"lower level sweep"
Kata: Image, Form
Translations are approximate
transliterations of the Chinese characters used to "spell" the kata
names.
形 kata; image(s), 型 form(s)
平安初段 heian shodan -- "stable and secure / stable
peace, first level"
平安二段 heian nidan -- ditto, "second level"
平安三段 heian sandan -- ditto,
"third level"
平安四段 heian yondan -- you get the
idea
平安五段 heian godan
鉄騎初段 tekki shodan -- "iron
horseman," "first level"
鉄騎二段 tekki nidan
鉄騎三段 tekki sandan
抜塞・大 bassai dai --
"destroying a fortress, greater (version)" (*)
抜塞・小 bassai sho [shoh] --
"destroying a fortress, lesser (version)" (*)
燕飛 empi -- "flight of the swallow"
慈恩 jion -- "compassion and favor."
Buddhist term and the chinese temple.
観空・大 kankuu dai -- "observing
the sky/emptiness, greater (version)" (*)
観空・小 kankuu sho [shoh] -- "observing
the sky/emptiness, lesser (version)" (*)
十手 jutte / jitte -- "ten
hands"
半月 hangetsu -- "half
moon"
二十四歩 nijuushiho --
"twenty-four steps"
岩鶴 gankaku -- "boulder crane" (the bird on
a rock)
壮鎮 sochin [soh-chin] -- "strength
and control"
雲手 unsu [unsuu] -- "cloud hands"
五十四歩大 gojuushiho (dai) --
"fifty-four steps, greater (version)" (*)
五十四歩小 gojuushiho sho
[shoh]
-- "fifty-four steps, lesser (version)" (*)
明鏡 meikyo [meikyoh] -- "bright
mirror"
慈陰 ji'in -- "compassion and
shadow." Related to jion, shadow of jion kata.
珍手 chinte -- "rare hands"
王冠 wankan -- "king's
crown"
(*) Kata with "lesser" or
"greater" attached ("sho" or "dai") don't really
mean "lesser" or "greater" in any sense. It's just a way of
distinguishing two different kata as A or B.
Kumite
組手 kumite -- sparring
基本五本組手 (kihon) gohon kumite -- (basic)
five-step sparring
基本三本組手 (kihon) sanbon kumite -- (basic) three-step
sparring
基本一本組手 (kihon) ippon kumite -- (basic)
one-step sparring
自由一本組手 jiyuu ippon kumite -- semi-free
one-step sparring
自由組手 (jiyuu) kumite -- free sparring
General Terms
基本 kihon basic(s) / foundation,
fundamental technics
気合い ki-ai
"spirit focus" / a focusing yell: to meet (hear) with your
spirit
極め kime "decision" / focus:
very end, the very edge, up to the limit
礼 rei bow /
to see each others manner (form) to respect
用意 yoh-i "get ready" / often
a command to stand in hachinoji-dachi
止め yame stop
休め yasume
rest, relax
廻れ maware / 廻って mawa-tte turn
並んで narande line up / usually follow
from left as senior
始め hajime begin, start
黙想 mokusoh "quiet
meditation" / to think of no thinking state
道場 dojo [doh-joh] "way place," the place where you train
(learn)
道場訓 dojo kun dojo desiderata
正座 seiza "proper
sitting" / kneeling
師範 shihan
"master teacher" / above 6th dan
師範代 shihan-dai vice-shihan
先生 sensei teacher, the person who has lived
and experienced before you.
先輩 sempai senior student
後輩 koh-hai junior student
衣・着 gi uniform
級 kyu levels below
black belt, counting down from 8th kyu to 1st kyu
段 dan steps showing
mastery of the art, starting from 1st dan
押忍 osu acknowledgement /
Used as a salutation between practitioners
Tournament Terms
組手試合 kumite-shiaiÉsparing match
集合 syuu-goh come closer (for the judges)
副審集合 fuku-shin syuu-goh corner judges come closer
礼 rei
bow
正面に礼 shoumen-ni-rei bow to front
お互いに礼 o-tagai-ni-rei bow to each other / respect each
other
並んで narande line up / usually follow
from left as senior
用意 yoh-i "get ready"
/ often a command to stand in hachinoji-dachi
勝負一本 shoubu-ipponn ready to match / for the point
始め hajime begin, start
止め yame stop
一本 ippon one point
技あり waza-ari half point
反則 hansoku penalty (lost of match)
警告 kei-koku warning /1st of 3(3 as
hansoku)
注意 cyuui caution / 2of 3 (3 as
hansoku)
場外 jo-gai outside
of field
失格 shikkaku..out of qualufication
中へ naka-e return to
the in field (return to the line)
元の位置へ motono-ichi-(e) return to the line
続けて始め tsuzukete-hajime (continue) begin, start
あとしばらく ato-shibaraku 30 seconds left
それまで soremade that it,
finish match
弱い yowai weak
間合い ma-ai distance
赤・早い aka-hayai red, faster
白受けている shiro-ukete-iru white, blocked
赤抜けている aka-nukete-iru red, off
terget
白当たっている shiro-atatte-iru white,
contact (hit)
判定 hantei judgement
(decision)
赤の勝ち aka-no-kachi red, winner
残心 zanshin awareness
Dojo Kun
一つ、人格完成に努むること Seek perfection of
character.
hitotsu, jinkaku kansei ni
tsutomurukoto.
one, to work toward completion/perfection of character.
一つ、誠の道を守ること Be faithful.
hitotsu, makoto no michi wo mamorukoto.
one, to protect the path of truth.
一つ、努力の精神を養うこと Endeavor.
hitotsu, doryoku no seishin wo
yashinaukoto.
one, to nurture a spirit of hard work.
一つ、礼儀を重んずること Respect others.
hitotsu, reigi wo omonzurukoto.
one, to give weight to courtesy and respect.
一つ、血気の勇を戒しむること Refrain from
violent behavior.
hitotsu, kekki no yuu wo imashimurukoto.
one, to rein in impetuousness.
The language is archaic Japanese and
doesn't do too well under direct translation. In the United States, these are
generally translated as shown above right column.
Sources:
Courtesy of the Yale Shotokan
Karate Club. and JKA of NY/NJ
Karate-do: My Way of Life, Gichin Funakoshi.
"Karate -- Yesterday and Today,"
Dynamic Karate, Masatoshi Nakayama.