The words you hear in karate class

karate空手

Empty hand. Written with the character for Tang (China) until Okinawan masters agreed on the character for empty on 25 October 1936.

karate-do空手道

The way of the empty hand: karate as personal development as well as fighting.

te手

Hand. The old Okinawan name for the islands' own fighting method.

tode

Tang hand, meaning Chinese hand: the Chinese influenced method that spread through Okinawa in the 1800s and merged with te.

do

Way or path, as in karate-do, judo and aikido.

ryu

School or style, as in Goju-ryu, Wado-ryu and Shito-ryu.

pinanピンアン

Peaceful and safe: the five beginner kata made by Anko Itosu, called Heian in Shotokan.

heian平安

Peaceful and safe: Funakoshi's name for the five Pinan kata.

sanchinサンチン

Three battles: the core breathing kata of Goju-ryu, Uechi-ryu and others, often read as uniting mind, body and spirit.

karateka空手家

A person who practises karate.

dojo道場

Training hall. Literally place of the way.

honbu dojo本部道場

The head dojo of an organisation.

karategi空手着

The karate uniform, also called gi or dogi. The jacket is the uwagi, the trousers the zubon.

gasshuku

A special training camp.

jodan

Upper level: head and neck.

chudan

Middle level: the body.

gedan

Lower level: below the belt.

kihon基本

Basics: stances, punches, blocks and kicks practised on their own or in sequences.

kata型

A set sequence of moves, a form, practised alone or in pairs.

bunkai分解

Working out and practising the real use of kata movements with a partner.

kumite組手

Sparring. Literally meeting of hands.

yakusoku kumite約束組み手

Prearranged sparring.

gohon kumite

Five step sparring: the attacker steps in five times, the defender steps back blocking and counters after the last block.

sanbon kumite

Three step sparring.

ippon kumite

One step sparring.

jiyu ippon kumite

One step sparring while moving freely.

jiyu kumite

Free sparring.

kiai気合

A short, sharp shout made as a technique is delivered.

kime決め

The split second of focus and tension at the end of a technique.

zanshin残心

Staying alert and aware after a technique. Literally remaining mind.

ma-ai間合い

The distance between you and your partner.

tai sabaki体捌き

Moving the whole body out of the line of an attack.

embusen演武線

The floor pattern a kata follows.

hojo undo補助運動

Supplementary strength and conditioning exercises, often with simple wooden or stone tools.

makiwara巻藁

A padded striking post.

junbi undo準備運動

Warm up exercises.

aka

Red: one of the two competitors in a bout.

ao

Blue: the other competitor in a bout.

yuko有効

One point in WKF kumite, for a punch or strike to the head or body.

waza-ari技あり

Two points in WKF kumite, for a kick to the body. In knockdown rules, a half point.

ippon一本

Three points in WKF kumite, for a kick to the head or a technique on a downed opponent. In knockdown rules, a full point.

senshu

The first unopposed point, which can decide a tied bout.

hantei判定

Judges' decision.

hikiwake引き分け

Draw.

jogai場外

Leaving the competition area.

chui

Warning.

hansoku反則

Disqualification from the bout. Hansoku chui is the warning before it.

shikkaku

Disqualification from the whole tournament.

mubobi

Putting yourself in danger.

shushin主審

Referee.

fukushin副審

Judge.

kansa

Match supervisor.

sensei先生

Teacher. Literally one who comes before.

senpai先輩

A senior student who is not yet a teacher. Often spelled sempai.

shomen正面

The front of the dojo.

dojo kun道場訓

The dojo's rules or motto, often recited at the end of class. The Shotokan version has five lines about character, sincerity, effort, courtesy and self control.

rei礼

Bow.

seiza正座

Kneel: the formal kneeling position, sitting back on the heels.

shomen ni rei正面に礼

Bow to the front.

sensei ni rei

Bow to the teacher.

otagai ni reiお互いに礼

Bow to each other.

onegaishimasu

Please teach me, said when bowing in.

arigato gozaimashita

Thank you very much, said when bowing out.

obi帯

Belt.

kyu級

Student grade, below black belt. Kyu grades count down from a high number to 1st Kyu.

dan段

Black belt grade. Dan grades count up from 1st Dan.

shodan初段

First step: 1st Dan, the first black belt grade.

mudansha無段者

Without dan: the grades below black belt.

yudansha有段者

Holders of dan: black belt grades.

shugo

Line up.

ki o tsuke気をつけ

Stand to attention.

mokuso

Close your eyes and quietly settle the mind. Mokuso yame means finish.

kiritsu

Stand up.

hai

Yes.

yoi

Ready. Also the ready position at the start of a kata.

hajime始め

Begin.

yame

Stop.

mawatte

Turn around.

kamae

Fighting guard or posture.

ichi

One.

ni

Two.

san

Three.

shi

Four.

go

Five.

roku

Six.

shichi

Seven.

hachi

Eight.

ku

Nine.

ju

Ten.

migi右

Right.

hidari左

Left.

shobu hajime

Start the bout.

tsuzukete hajime

Carry on, begin.

ato shibaraku

Fifteen seconds left.

musubi-dachi

Formal attention stance: heels together, toes turned out. Used for bowing.

heisoku-dachi

Attention stance with the feet together.

heiko-dachi

Feet parallel, shoulder width: the natural ready stance. Hachiji dachi is the same with the feet turned slightly out.

zenkutsu-dachi前屈立ち

Front stance: long, front knee bent, back leg straight.

kokutsu-dachi後屈立ち

Back stance: most weight on the bent back leg, body side on.

kiba-dachi騎馬立ち

Horse riding or straddle stance, used in the Tekki kata.

shiko-dachi四股立

Square stance: feet wide and turned out, used in Goju-ryu and other Okinawan based styles.

sanchin-dachi

Hourglass stance: short, gripping and inward turned, used in Sanchin kata.

neko-ashi-dachi猫足立ち

Cat stance: almost all weight on the back leg, front foot resting lightly.

fudo-dachi

Rooted stance, also called sochin-dachi.

oi-zuki

Stepping or lunge punch: punch with the same arm as the leg stepping forward.

gyaku-zuki

Reverse punch: punch with the arm opposite the front leg, turning the hips into it.

kizami-zuki

Jab with the front hand.

choku-zuki

Straight punch.

age-zuki

Rising punch.

ura-zuki

Close range punch with the palm up, like an uppercut.

sanbon-zuki

Three punches in a row.

seiken

Fore fist: the normal punching fist.

uraken

Back fist strike.

shuto

Knife hand: the little finger edge of the open hand, the karate chop.

empi

Elbow strike, also called hiji. Also the name of a Shotokan kata, Enpi.

tettsui

Hammer fist: a strike with the bottom of the clenched fist.

haito

Ridge hand: the inside edge of the open hand, thumb tucked in.

nukite

Spear hand: a strike with the fingertips.

teisho

Palm heel: a strike with the base of the palm. Also called shotei.

age-uke

Rising block to protect the head.

gedan-barai下段払い

Downward sweeping block to clear a low attack.

soto-uke外受け

A forearm block to the middle of the body. Clubs use the names soto-uke and uchi-uke differently, so check with your own instructor.

uchi-uke内受け

A forearm block to the middle of the body, travelling the opposite way to soto-uke. Check how your own club uses the two names.

shuto-uke

Knife hand block.

morote-uke

Reinforced block, the second hand supporting the first.

nagashi-uke流し受け

Sweeping or flowing block.

mae-geri

Front kick.

mawashi-geri回し蹴り

Roundhouse kick.

yoko-geri

Side kick: keage is the snap version, kekomi the thrust version.

ushiro-geri

Back kick.

hiza-geri

Knee strike.

mikazuki-geri

Crescent kick.

tobi-geri

Jumping kick.

ashi-barai

Foot sweep.