Glossary of Karate Technique
These are the terms used in stances, movement, strikes, blocks and kicksA. Idō and Idō Kihon
| Term | Nihonji | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Go-geri, n. | 五蹴り | Five kicks. A prescribed sequence of kicks: mawashi-geri -> ura ushiro mawashi-geri -> mae-geri -> mawashi-geri -> ura ushiro mawashi-geri. |
| Renraku, proper n. | 連絡 | Connection/contact. A sequence of techniques: mae-geri -> yoko-geri -> ushiro-geri -> chūdan uchi-uke -> seiken gyaku-zuki. |
| Enkei gyaku-zuki, proper n. | 円形逆突き | Kiba-dachi, reverse punch, lower and open circle block in opposite direction, followed by reverse punch. |
| idō, n. | 移動 | Movement. |
| idō-kihon, n. | 移動基本 | Kihon done with movement. Literally, “Movement fundamentals.” See kihon. |
| kawasu, v. | かわす | (command: kawashite). To dodge/evade/side-step. This term is not in Shihan Gilbert’s book. |
| mae kōsa, n. | 前交差 | Forward crossing (leg) |
| sagari, n. | 下がり | The noun form of sagaru, to step back. |
| sagaru, v. | 下がる | To step back. |
| tsugi ashi, n. | 次足 | Side step. (Literally: Leg following) |
| ushiro kōsa, n. | 後ろ交差 | Forward crossing (leg) |
| yukkuri, adv. | ゆっくり | Slowly. (Note to nihongo students: yukkuri is an adverb that has not been derived from an i-adjective.) |
B. Kihon, Foundations and Technique
B.1. General
| Term | Nihonji | Description |
|---|---|---|
| barai, n. | 払い | Suffix form of harai, to sweep. |
| bunkai, n. | 分解 | Analysis/decomposition. |
| chikara, n. | 力 | Force, strength. |
| chikara ireru (command: chikara irete), v. | 力入れる | To use force |
| hajime, v. | 始め | (Dictionary form: hajimeru 始める). To start. |
| harai, n. | 払い | “The sweeping”/“the sweeping stroke.” Strangely enough, it also means “the pay.” See barai. |
| kiai irete, expression. | 気合入れて | (dictionary form: kiai ireru). “Put in (i.e., with) spirit yell” |
| kiai, n. | 気合 | Yell/fighting spirit. Literally, “Join spirit.” Used not only to boost morale (and dismay the opponent), but also to provide tension during a strike. Not to be confused with the girl’s name, Kiai (希愛: hope/love). |
| kihon, n. | 基本 | Basics, foundation. |
| kime, n. | 決め | Inside the dōjō, it is the root of the verb ’to decide’ (kimeru 決める). As such, kime implies focus and power, i.e. decisiveness, and is proved by the snapping sound of the dōgi. Outside the dōjō, it means ‘agreement.’ |
| mawashi, n. | 回し | “Roundhouse.” Used only as a martial arts and exercise term. Do not use out of the context of physical fitness or sport as it is slang for a certain type of crime. |
| mugōrei, n. | 無号令 | On one’s own time. Literally, “no orders (esp. to a group of people).” |
| shizentai, n. | 自然体 | Natural posture, not slouching. Literally, “natural body.” |
| tameshiwari, n. | 試し割り | Breaking bricks. Literally, “test splitting.” |
| waza, n. | 技 | Technique, art, skill. Its on-yomi pronounciation is gi, as in sokugi. |
B.2. Breathing
| Term | Nihonji | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ibuki, proper n. | 息吹 | “Inner Strength” breathing. Used when striking. Can be noisy. Compare with nogare. |
| nogare, v. | 逃れ | Breathing quietly with nose and diaphragm. Literally, “to escape.” |
B.3. Stances
| Term | Nihonji | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Nekoashi-dachi, proper n. | 猫足立ち | Cat-foot stance. See ashi and dachi. |
| dachi, v. | 立つ | Usually translated as “stance.” The long sordid tale is that dachi is the suffix form of the infinitive tachi. tachi itself is the infinitive of the dictionary form tatsu, to stand. |
| fudō-dachi, v. | 不動立ち | Standing at attention (in the context of karate). Literally, “to stand immovable.” Soldiers would call it “standing at ease.” |
| han zenkutsu-dachi, v. | 半前屈あち | Half forward stance. Literally, “To stand, bend forward, half.” Known as moroashi-dachi. See zenkutsu-dachi. Known to our dōjō as the “kumite position.” |
| heiko-dachi, n. | 並行立ち | Parallel stance. Literally, “to stand parallel.” |
| heisoku-dachi, v. | 閉塞立ち | Closed-foot stance. Literally, “to stand closed shut.” See dachi. |
| kake-dachi / kakeashi-dachi, v. | 掛け立ち/掛け足立ち | “Hanging” or “hanging-leg” stance. Jokers might be happy to know that “kake” is also hot noodle soup, but spelled かけ. |
| kiba-dachi, n. | 騎馬立ち | Horseback rider’s stance. See dachi. |
| kōkutsu-dachi, n. | 後屈立ち | Back stance. Literally, “to stand, retroflexion.” |
| moroashi-dachi, v. | 両足立ち | See han zenkutsu-dachi, morote, and ashi. Literally, “to stand both feet.” Also known as the “kumite” stance. |
| musubi-dachi, n. | 結び立ち | Heels-together stance. Literally, “to stand joined.” See dachi. |
| sanchin-dachi, v. | 三戦立ち | sanchin stance. Shihan André Gilbert names it “egg-timer” stance. See dachi. Do not bother looking up sanchin in a Japanese dictionary. It is Chinese. |
| shiko-dachi, v. | 四股立ち | Sumo wrestler stance. Looks almost like kiba-dachi. Loosely translated, “to stand like a ceremonially stomping Sumo wrestler.” The kanji 四股 represents something like “four thighs.” |
| shizen-dachi, v. | 自然立ち | Natural stance. Literally, “to stand naturally.” Same as fudō-dachi but slightly wider and relaxed. |
| tsuruashi-dachi, v. | 鶴足立ち | Stork stance. Literally, “to stand stork-leg.” See dachi and ashi. |
| uchi hachiji-dachi, v. | 内八字立ち | Pigeon-foot stance. Literally, “to stand inside the 8-symbol.” Look at 八. This is Japanese for “8.” Now angle your feet the same way. See uchi, hachi, jūji and dachi. |
| zenkutsu-dachi, v. | 前立ち | Forward stance. Literally, “To stand, bending forward.” |
B.4. Arms, Hands and Elbows
| Term | Nihonji | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ate, n. | 当て | Hit. The verb “to strike” is utsu (打つ) |
| chūdan haishu-uke, n. | 中段背手受け | Back-handed middle block. |
| chūdan soto-uke, n. | 中外受け | Middle outside block. See chūdan, soto and uke. |
| chūdan uchi-uke gedan-barai, n. | 中内受け下段 | Middle inside block. See chūdan uchi-uke and gedan barai-uke. |
| chūdan uchi-uke, n. | 中内受け | Middle inside block. See chūdan, uchi and uke. |
| enkei, n. | 円形 | Circular form. Used in Pinan sono ni, uchi enkei-uke |
| gedan-barai-uke, n. | 下段払い受け | Lower sweeping block. See uke, gedan and harai. |
| gyaku-zuki, n. | 逆突き | Reverse punch. |
| haitō, n. | 佩刀 | The carrying of a sword. Refers to the back of the thumb when the thumb is tucked under outstretched fingers. The verb “to carry a sword” is haitōsuru (佩刀する). |
| hiji age-uchi, v. | 肘上げ打ち | Rising elbow strike. |
| hiji jōdan-ate, n. | 肘上段当て | Elbow strike high. |
| hiji oroshi, n. | 肘下ろし | Dropping elbow. |
| hiji ushiro, n. | 肘後ろ | Elbow to rear. |
| hiji yoko-uchi, v. | 肘横打ち | To side-strike with the elbow. |
| hikite, n. | 引き手 | Pulled-back hand. See te. |
| hikite tateken, n. | 引き手縦拳 | Pulled-back hand / vertical fist. See te and ken. |
| hitosashiyubi ippon-ken, n. | 人差し指一本拳 | Fist with index knuckle protruding. See ippon-ken and hitosashiyubi |
| hiza-geri, n. | 膝蹴り | Knee strike. Literally, ‘knee kick’ |
| hiza mawashi-geri, n. | 膝回し蹴り | Circular knee strike. See mawashi and keri. |
| ippon-ken, n. | 一本拳 | One-point fist. see hitosashiyubi ippon-ken and nakayubi ippon-ken. |
| ippon nukite, n. | 一本貫手 | One-point spear-hand. Basically, what you do when you poke someone in the eye. See nukite and ippon. |
| jōdan-uke, n. | 上段受け | Upper block. See uke and jōdan. |
| jōdan yoko-uke, n. | 上段横うけ | High side-block. |
| jūji, な-adj. | 十字 | Crossed/cruciform. Literally, “character 10.” |
| jūji gedan-uke, n. | 十字下段受け | Crossed forearms lower block. See jūji, gedan and uke. |
| jūji jōdan-uke, n. | 十字上段受け | Crossed forearms overhead block. See jūji, jōdan and uke. |
| kagite-uke, n. | 鉤手 | Hand-hook block. See happō no kuzushi and bassai dai. |
| keikō, n. | 鶏口 | Mouth of a chicken. |
| ken, n. | 拳 | the on-yomi pronounciation of kobushi (fist). Used only as part of a compound noun, such as uraken, tateken, seiken, etc. |
| kobushi, n. | 拳 | Fist. Its on-yomi pronounciation is ken |
| koken, n. | 弧拳 | “Bow-fist” (Bow as in bow-and-arrow). See ken. |
| manji-uke, v. | 卍受け | “Swastika” block. Not in Shihan Gilbert’s book. Note that a “swastika” is a sensitive term to the West even though it is considered sacred to Eastern religion. |
| morote naka-uke, n. | 両手中受け | Two-handed middle-defence. See morote, naka and uke. |
| morote shotei uchi, n. | 諸手掌底打ち | Two-handed palm-heel strike. |
| morote, n. | 両手 | Both hands. See te. |
| morote-zuki, n. | 両手突き | Double-punch (literally “both-hands thrust”) |
| nage, n. | 投げ | Throw. Fall. A jūdō term. |
| nakayubi ippon-ken, n. | 中指一本拳 | Fist with middle knuckle protruding. See ippon-ken and nakayubi |
| nihon nukite, n. | 二本貫手 | Two-point spear-hand. Basically, what you do when you poke someone in both eyes |
| nihon-ken, n. | 二本拳 | Two-point fist. Note that ‘ppon’ (yes, two ‘p’s) and ‘hon’ are counters, and don’t necessarily mean fingers. ’nihon’ could also refer to bottles of beer, rivers and TV shows. |
| nukite, n. | 貫手 | Spear-hand. |
| oi-zuki, n. | 追い突き | Thrust even with forward leg. Opposite of gyaku-zuki. |
| oyayubi ippon-ken, n. | 親指一本拳 | Fist with thumb-knuckle protruding. See ippon-ken and oyayubi |
| ryū, n. | 竜 | Chinese dragon. Not to be confused with ryū (流), school. See ryūto-ken |
| ryūto-ken, n. | 竜頭拳 | “Dragon-head fist.” The knuckles of the fist form a wedge. |
| seiken, n. | 正拳 | Two-knuckle fist. Literally, “normal fist.” |
| seiken ago-uchi, v. | 正拳あご打ち | To strike to the jaw. |
| seiken chūdan yoko-zuki, n. | 正拳中段横突き | Fist-thrust to the side and middle. |
| seiken chūdan-zuki, n. | 正拳中段突き | Fist-thrust (punch) to the middle. |
| seiken jōdan-zuki, n. | 正拳上段突き | Fist-thrust (punch) high. |
| seiken mawashi-uchi, v. | 正拳回し打ち | To “roundhouse” fist-strike |
| seiken shita-zuki, v. | 正拳下突き | To strike below with the back-fist. Although it is a seiken and not hiji-waza, traditionally it is practised with the elbow techniques. |
| shutō, n. | 手刀 | Hand-sword. May also be known as te-katana. |
| shutō ganmen-uchi, v. | 手刀顔面打ち | To strike the face with the hand-sword. |
| shutō hizō-uchi, v. | 手刀脾臓打ち | To strike the spleen with the hand-sword. |
| shutō mawashi uchi-uke, n. | 手刀回し内受け | Circular sword-hand defence and strike. See shutō, mawashi. uchi (“inside,” not “strike”) and uke. |
| shutō mawashi, n. | 手刀回し | Circular sword-hand (fron) defence. Not to be confused with shutō mawashi uchi-uke |
| shutō oi uchi-uke, n. | 手刀追い討ち受け | Open-handed inside block. |
| shutō osae-uke, n. | 手刀抑え受け | Sword-hand pressing down block. |
| shutō sakotsu-uchi, v. | 手刀鎖骨打ち | To strike the collarbone with the hand-sword. |
| shutō sakotsu-uchikomi, n. | 手刀鎖骨打ち込み | Hand-sword drive into the collarbone. |
| shutō uchi-uchi, v. | 手刀内打ち | To strike from the inside with the hand-sword. |
| tateken, n. | 縦拳 | Vertical fist. See ken. |
| tettsui, n. | 鉄槌 | Iron Hammer (i.e., hammer fist). |
| tsuki, n. | 突き | Thrust (i.e., a punch with body-weight behind it). |
| tōho, n. | 刀穂 | Tip of the sword. In the context of Karate: “Sword-peak hand.” Looks like a grab-throat shaping of the hand. |
| uchikomi, n. | 打ち込み | The act of shooting/driving/pounding in. |
| uke, n. | 受け | Defence/Receiver of technique. Usually translated as ‘block.’ |
| utsu, | 打つ | To strike. The dictionary form of the infinitive uchi, as in seiken ago uchi. Compare with the noun ate, “hit.” |
| yama-zuki, n. | 山突き | A double-fisted thrust with the high fist seiken-zuki, and the other shita-zuki. |
| zuki, n. | 突き | The suffix form of tsuki. |
B.5. Legs
| Term | Nihonji | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sokugi, proper n. | 足技 | Leg technique. May also be known as ashiwaza, which uses the same 足技 characters. |
| ashi-barai, n. | 足払い | Leg-sweep. See ashi and harai. |
| chūsoku mae-geri, n. | 中足前蹴り | Front kick using the ball of the foot. See mae and keri. |
| chūsoku mawashi-geri, n. | 中足回し蹴り | Roundhouse kick with the ball of the foot |
| geri, n. | 蹴り | Suffix pronunciation of keri, kicks. |
| haisoku kin-geri, n. | 背足金蹴り | Kick to the groin with the instep. See keri. See kin to get the joke. |
| haisoku mawashi-geri, n. | 背足回し蹴り | Roundhouse kick with the instep. See mawashi and keri. |
| kakato-geri, n. | かかと蹴り | Heel-strike. Literally, “heel kick.” |
| keage, n. | 蹴上げ | Straight-leg kick. Literally, “the kick rising.” |
| keri, n. | 蹴り | Kick. The verb “to kick” is keru. |
| kin, n. | 金 | Gold, money. |
| mae keage, n. | 前蹴上げ | Straight-leg kick up. Literally, “the forward kick rising.” |
| sokutō, n. | 足刀 | “Foot-sword” |
| sokutō kansetsu-geri, n. | 足刀関節蹴り | Foot-sword kick to the joints (i.e., to the knees). See kansetsu and keri. |
| sokutō yoko geri, n. | 足刀横蹴り | Foot-sword sideways/horizontal kick. See yoko and keri. |
| sokutō yoko keage, n. | 足刀横蹴上げ | Foot-sword sideways straight-leg kick. See yoko and keage. |
| soto mawashi-geri, n. | 外回し蹴り | Outside/exterior circular kick. See mawashi. Its opposite is uchi mawashi-geri. |
| tobi, n. | 飛び | Leap/jump. |
| tobi mae-geri, n. | 飛び前蹴り | Jumping front kick. See mae and keri. |
| tobi ushiro-geri, n. | 飛び後ろ蹴り | Jumping back kick. See ushiro and keri. |
| tobi yoko-geri, n. | 飛び横蹴り | Jumping side kick. See yoko and keri. |
| uchi mawashi-geri, n. | 内回し蹴り | Circular kick from the inside. See mawashi and keri. Its opposite is soto mawashi-geri. |
| ura mawashi-geri, n. | 裏回し蹴り | An uchi mawashi-geri using kakato instead of sokutō. |
| ura ushiro mawashi geri, n. | 裏後回し蹴り | Reverse roundhouse kick to the rear. |
| uraken, n. | 裏拳 | Backfist. Literally, “rear fist.” See ken. See ura. |
| uraken hizō-uchi, n. | 裏拳脾臓打ち | To strike the spleen with the back-fist. |
| uraken mawashi-uchi, n. | 裏拳回し打ち | Back-fist roundhouse strike. See seiken mawashi-uchi and shutō mawashi uchi-uke to compare. |
| uraken sayū-uchi, n. | 裏拳左右打ち | To strike left and right with the back-fist. See sayū. |
| uraken shōmen-uchi, v. | 裏拳正面打ち | To strike frontally with back-fist. |
| ushiro mawashi-geri, n. | 後ろ蹴り | Rear roundhouse kick, with the heel. See keri and mawashi. |
| ushiro-geri, n. | 後ろ蹴り | Rear kick. See keri. |