Karate Terminology

First of all, don’t panic! you don’t need to be fluent in Japanese.

Here you will find the terminology use in our club on your way to becoming a black belt with the KUGB

JapaneseEnglish
DojoTraining Hall
SenseiInstructor
ReiBow
MigiRight
Kamae-teMove to ready position
MawatteTurn
GiKarate suit
KimeFocus
KihonBasic techniques
KumiteSparring
JodanHead
ChudanMiddle body
GedanLower body
Dojo KunDojo code
SeizaKneel
YoiReady
HidariLeft
HajimeStart/begin
YameFinish/stop
ObiBelt
KiaiMartial shout
KataFormal exercises
ZanshinMartial state of mind or awareness
OssRespectful greeting or acknowledgment or understanding of a command
JapaneseEnglish
Heiko dachiNatural stance
Musubi dachiInformal stance
Kiba dachiStraddle stance
Kokutsu dachiBack stance
Heisoku dachiFeet together stance
Zenkutsu dachiFront stance
Shiko dachiOpen leg/Sumo stance
JapaneseEnglish
Gedan BaraiDownward block
Soto UkeOutside block
Shuto ukeKnife hand block
Nagashi ukeSweeping block
Empi ukeElbow block
Morote ukeAugmented block
Age UkeRising block
Uchi UkeInside block
Tate Shuto ukeVertical knife hand block
Haishu ukeBack hand block
Juji ukeX block
Kakewake ukeWedge block

 

JapaneseEnglish
Kara/Choku tsukiStraight punch
Kizami tsukiFront hand punch
Kagi tsukiHook punch
Sanbon tsukiThree punch combination
Oi tsukiStepping punch
Gyaku tsukiReverse punch
Ren tsukiTwo punch combination

 

JapaneseEnglish
Age empi uchiRising elbow strike
Mawashi empi uchiRound elbow strike
Tate empi uchiDownward elbow strike
Uraken uchiBack fist strike
NukiteSpear hand thrust
Haito uchiRidge hand strike
Yoko empi uchiSide elbow strike
Ushiro empi uchiReverse elbow strike
Shuto uchiKnife hand strike
Tetsui uchiHammer fist strike
Teisho uchiPalm heel strike
JapaneseEnglish
Mae geriFront kick
Yoko geri kekomiSide thrust kick
Ushiro geriBack kick
Ren geriKicking combinations stepping between kicks
Yoko geri keageSide snap kick
Mawashi geriRoundhouse kick
Hiza geriKnee kick
Nidan geriTwo kicks with same leg without step between
JapaneseEnglish
Sanbon KumiteThree step sparring
Kihon Ippon KumiteBasic one-step sparring
Kaishi Ippon KumiteReaction sparring
Gohon KumiteFive step sparring
Jiyu Ippon KumiteSemi-free style sparring
Jiyu KumiteFree style sparring
Become a Black Belt in Karate