Count
| Japanese | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| ichi | one | ee-chee |
| ni | two | nee |
| san | three | sahn |
| shi | four | shee |
| go | five | goh |
| roku | six | roh-koo |
| shichi | seven | shee-chee |
| hachi | eight | hah-chee |
| ku or kyu | nine | koo or kyoo |
| ju | ten | joo |
General Terms
| Japanese | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| ashi | foot | ah-shee |
| atama | head | ah-tah-mah |
| barai | sweep | bah-rah-ee |
| bunkai | technique application | buhn-kah-ee |
| chudan | middle level of body | choo-dahn |
| dan | black belt rank | dahn |
| do | way | doh |
| dojo | school | doh-joh |
| dojo kun | school principles | doh-joh kuhn |
| embusen | lines of a kata | ehn-boo-sehn |
| gedan | lower level of body | gae-dahn |
| gi | uniform | gee |
| hanmi | half front facing | hahn-mee |
| hidari | left | hee-dah-ri |
| hikite | pulling hand | hee-kee-teh |
| hiza | knee | hee-zah |
| jodan | upper level of body | jo-dahn |
| kaette | pivot | kah-eht-teh |
| kakato | heel | kah-kah-toe |
| kamae | fighting posture | kah-mah-eh |
| karateka | karate practitioner | kah-rah-teh-kah |
| kata | form | kah-tah |
| kiai | vocal expulsion of air | kee-ah-ee |
| kihon | basic | kee-hohn |
| kime | focus of technique | kee-meh |
| kohai | junior student | ko-hai |
| koshi | ball of foot | ko-shee |
| kumite | sparring | koo-mee-teh |
| kyu | white-brown belt rank | kyoo |
| makiwara | punching board | mah-kee-wah-rah |
| migi | right | me-gee |
| naote | relax | nah-oh-teh |
| obi | belt | oh-bee |
| osu or oss | greeting or acknowledgment | oh-soo |
| otagai | each other | oh-tah-gah-ee |
| senpai or sempai | senior student | sen-pie or sem-pie |
| sensei | instructor | sehn-seh-ee |
| shihan | head instructor of an organization | shee-hahn |
| shomen | front | shoh-mehn |
| te | hand | teh |
| ude | forearm | oo-deh |
| waza | technique | wha-zah |
| yoko | side | yoh-koh |
General Commands
| Japanese | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| hajime | begin | hah-jee-meh |
| kamaete | assume stance | kah-mah-eh-teh |
| mawatte | turn around | mah-wah-teh |
| mokuso | meditate | moh-koo-soh |
| rei | bow | reh-ee |
| seiza | kneel | sey-za |
| yame | stop | yah-meh |
| yasume | at ease | yah-soo-meh |
| yoi | get ready | yoh-ee |
Stances
| Japanese | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| dachi | stance | da-chee |
| fudo dachi | immovable stance | foo-doh dah-chee |
| gyaku hanmi | reverse half face | gyah-koo hahn-mee |
| hangetsu or sanchin dachi | hourglass stance | han-geh-tsu or sah-chin dah-chee |
| heisoku dachi | attention stance | hay-soh-koo dah-chee |
| kame | fighting stance | kah-mah-eh |
| kiba dachi | horse stance | kee-bah dah-chee |
| kokutsu dachi | back stance | ko-ku-tsu dah-chee |
| kosa dachi | crossed legged stance | koe-sah dah-chee |
| musubi dachi | heels together, feet at 45° | moo-soo-bee dah-chee |
| nekoashi dachi | cat stance | neh-koh-ah-shee-dah-chee |
| shizentai | natural stance | shee-zehn-tah-ee |
| sochin dachi | rooted stance | so-chin dah-chee |
| zenkutsu dachi | front stance | zen-ku-tsu dah-chee |
Strikes
| Japanese | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| age zuki | rising punch | ah-geh zoo-kee |
| choku zuki | straight punch | cho-ku-zoo-kee |
| empi | elbow strike | ehm-pee |
| gyaku zuki | reverse punch | gyah-koo zoo-kee |
| haito | ridge-hand | hah-ee-toh |
| hittsui | knee strike | hit-tsue-ee |
| ippon ken | one knuckle fist | eep-pohn kehn |
| kagi zuki | hook punch | kah-gee zoo-kee |
| kizami zuki | front hand punch | kee-zamy zoo-kee |
| morote zuki | double hand punch | mo-ro-tay zoo-kee |
| nagashi zuki | flowing strike | nah-gah-she zoo-kee |
| nukite | spear hand | noo-kee-teh |
| oi zuki | lunge punch | oh-ee zoo-kee |
| san bon zuki | triple punch | sahn-bohn zoo-kee |
| shuto uchi | knife-hand strike | shoo-toh oo-chee |
| tate zuki | vertical fist | ta-tay zoo-kee |
| teisho | palm-heel | teh-ee-shoh |
| tetsui | hammer fist | teh-tsoo-ee |
| uraken | back fist strike | oo-rah-kehn |
| zuki | punch | zoo-kee |
Kicks
| Japanese | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| fumikomi | stomping kick | foo-mee-koh-mee |
| geri | kick | geh-ree |
| mae geri | front kick | mah-eh-geh-ree |
| mawashi geri | round house kick | mah-wah-shee-geh-ree |
| mikazuki geri | crescent kick | mee-kah-zoo-kee-geh-ree |
| nidan geri | double front kick | nee-dahn-geh-ree |
| renzoku geri | continuous kicks | rehn-zoh-koo-geh-ree |
| tobi geri | flying side thrust kick | toh-bee-yoh-koh-geh-ree |
| ushiro geri | rear kick | oo-shee-roh-geh-ree |
| yokogeri keage | side snap kick | yoh-koh-geh-ree-keh-ah-geh |
| yokogeri kekomi | side thrust kick | yoh-koh-geh-ree-keh-koh-mee |
Blocks
| Japanese | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| age uke | rising block | ah-gae oo-kay |
| gedan barai | downward block | gae-dahn bah-rah-ee |
| juji uke | x-block | joo-jee-oo-keh |
| kake wake uke | reverse wedge block | kah-keh-wah-keh-oo-keh |
| morote uke | augmented block | moh-roh-the-oo-keh |
| shuto uke | knife hand block | shoo-toh oo-kay |
| soto uke | outside block | soh-toe oo-kay |
| teisho uke | palm heel block | teh-ee-shoh-oo-keh |
| tetsui uke | hammer block | teh-tsoo-ee-oo-keh |
| uchi ude uke | inside block | oo-chee oo-day oo-kay |
| uke | block | oo-kay |
Sparring
| Japanese | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| gohon kumite | five attack sparring | goh-hohn koo-mee-teh |
| ippon kumite | one attack sparring | eep-pone koo-mee-teh |
| jiyu ippon kumite | semi free sparring | jee-yoo eep-pone koo-mee-teh |
| jiyu kumite | free style sparring | jee-yoo koo-mee-teh |
| sambon kumite | three attack sparring | sahn-bohn koo-mee-teh |
| yakusoku kumite | "promise” premeditated sparring | yah-koo-soh-koo koo-mee-teh |
Other Techniques
| Japanese | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| ashi barai | foot sweep | ah-shee bah-rah-ee |
| suri ashi | sliding step | soo-rhee ash-ee |
| tai sabaki | body shifting | tah-ee sah-bah-kee |
| tate shuto | vertical knife hand | tah-teh shoo-toh |
| yori ashi | dragging step | yoh-rhee ash-ee |