The words you hear in taekwondo class

taekwondo태권도

The way of the foot and the fist: tae, foot; kwon, fist; do, the way. The ITF family spells it Taekwon-Do.

tae태

Foot, or striking with the foot: the first part of taekwondo.

kwon권

Fist, or striking with the hand: the second part of taekwondo.

do도

The way: the last part of taekwondo, as in judo and karate-do.

taekkyeon택견

An old Korean kicking game and martial art of the Joseon period. The Kukkiwon and World Taekwondo name it as a root of taekwondo. Also spelled taekkyon.

subak

Unarmed fighting recorded in medieval Korean histories, named by the Kukkiwon and World Taekwondo as a root of taekwondo.

kwan

A school or hall. The martial arts schools that opened in Seoul after 1945 are called the kwans.

Chang Hon

General Choi Hong Hi's own style of taekwondo, the style of the ITF family.

Kukkiwon국기원

The World Taekwondo Headquarters in Seoul, named on 6 February 1973. It defines the WT style and issues its Poom and Dan certificates.

dojang도장

Training hall.

dobok도복

The uniform. WT and ITF style doboks look different; at British Taekwondo dan gradings a 1st Dan wears a white collar and 2nd Dan and above a black or black and red collar.

tee

Belt. Also written ti.

tul틀

Pattern, in the ITF family: 24 of them, from Chon-Ji to Tong-Il. Also written teul.

poomsae품새

Pattern, in the WT and Kukkiwon family: eight Taegeuk poomsae for coloured belts and nine for black belts.

hyeong형

The older word for a pattern, still used by some traditional schools. Also written hyung.

Taegeuk태극

The eight coloured belt poomsae of the Kukkiwon style, Taegeuk 1 to 8 Jang. British Taekwondo explains the word as the origin of all things, from tae, vastness, and geuk, eternity.

Palgwae

The eight earlier Kukkiwon style forms, used from about 1967 and replaced by the Taegeuk set around 1971. Some schools still teach them.

saju사주

Four direction. The ITF beginner's exercises before the first pattern: Saju Jirugi, four direction punch, and Saju Makgi, four direction block.

Theory of Power

General Choi's six ideas behind every technique: reaction force, concentration, balance, breath control, mass and speed.

sine wave

The rise and fall of the body through each movement, a later refinement by General Choi used in many ITF clubs, though not all.

hogu

The trunk protector worn in WT sparring, electronic at higher levels. Also written ho goo.

PSS

Protector and Scoring System: the electronic body and head protectors and sensor socks that register kicks in WT competition.

sabeom사범

Instructor, in British Taekwondo's list, which spells it sabeaumin. The ITF family uses titles by degree: see boosabum, sabum, sahyun and saseong.

kukgi

The national flag. British Taekwondo's list spells it kook gie.

ye-ui예의

Courtesy: the first of General Choi's five tenets, and also one of the Kukkiwon's five virtues.

yeom-chi염치

Integrity: the second of the five tenets. Also written yom-chi.

in-nae인내

Perseverance: the third of the five tenets, and one of the Kukkiwon's five virtues.

geuk-gi극기

Self control: the fourth of the five tenets. For the Kukkiwon, overcoming oneself, one of its two guiding ideas. Also written guk-gi.

baekjeol-bulgul백절불굴

Indomitable spirit: the fifth of the five tenets.

yonggi

Courage: one of the Kukkiwon's five virtues.

jeongui

Justice: one of the Kukkiwon's five virtues.

bongsa

Volunteering, service: one of the Kukkiwon's five virtues.

hongik

Benefiting the world: one of the Kukkiwon's two guiding ideas, with geuk-gi.

charyeot차렷

Attention. Also written char-ryot or cha ryot.

kyeong-rye경례

Bow. Also written kyong ye or kyong rye.

joon-bi준비

Ready: the starting position before a pattern or exercise. Also written junbi.

shi-jak시작

Begin. Also written si jak.

keu-man그만

Stop, end. Also written geuman or gu man.

ba-ro바로

Return to the starting position.

shi-yo쉬어

Relax, take a rest.

dwiro dora

Turn around.

haessan

Dismiss: the end of class.

kihap기합

The shout made at a key moment of a technique. WT poomsae judges deduct points if it is missing or mistimed.

hana하나

One, in native Korean counting, used to count exercises in class. The WT rules write it ha-nah.

dul둘

Two, in native Korean counting.

set셋

Three, in native Korean counting.

net넷

Four, in native Korean counting.

daseot다섯

Five, in native Korean counting.

yeoseot여섯

Six, in native Korean counting.

ilgop일곱

Seven, in native Korean counting.

yeodeol여덟

Eight, in native Korean counting. The WT rules write it yeo-dul: a knocked down athlete must show they can continue by this count.

ahop아홉

Nine, in native Korean counting.

yeol열

Ten, in native Korean counting: the end of a referee's count.

il일

One, in Sino-Korean numbers, used in names: Taegeuk Il Jang is Taegeuk 1.

i이

Two, in Sino-Korean numbers. British Taekwondo writes Taegeuk Ee Jang for Taegeuk 2.

sam삼

Three, in Sino-Korean numbers: Taegeuk Sam Jang, and the ITF pattern Sam-Il.

sa사

Four, in Sino-Korean numbers: Taegeuk Sa Jang.

o오

Five, in Sino-Korean numbers. British Taekwondo writes Taegeuk Oh Jang.

yuk육

Six, in Sino-Korean numbers: Taegeuk Yuk Jang.

chil칠

Seven, in Sino-Korean numbers: Taegeuk Chil Jang.

pal팔

Eight, in Sino-Korean numbers: Taegeuk Pal Jang, the last coloured belt poomsae.

gu구

Nine, in Sino-Korean numbers.

sip십

Ten, in Sino-Korean numbers, as in the poomsae Sipjin, the 10 symbols of long life.

Gup급

A coloured belt grade. Gup grades count down from 10th, white belt, to 1st. Also spelled kup or geup.

dan단

A black belt grade. Dan grades count up from 1st to 9th, the highest in both families. The ITF family also calls them degrees.

Poom품

The Kukkiwon's black belt rank for children, 1st to 4th Poom, given instead of a Dan since 1 March 1975. At British Taekwondo gradings a 1st Poom wears a black and red belt.

yudanja유단자

A holder of a Dan grade: a black belt.

boosabum부사범

Assistant instructor: a common ITF title for 1st to 3rd degree.

sabum사범

Instructor: a common ITF title for 4th to 6th degree.

sahyun사현

Master: a common ITF title for 7th and 8th degree.

saseong사성

Grandmaster: a common ITF title for 9th degree.

seogi서기

Stance: how you stand. The ITF writes sogi.

moa seogi

Attention stance: feet together, standing straight.

naranhi seogi

Parallel stance: feet shoulder width apart, pointing forward; the usual ready position.

ap seogi

Walking stance: a natural step forward, like walking.

ap kubi앞굽이

Forward stance: long and deep, with the front knee bent.

juchum seogi주춤서기

Riding stance: wide, with both knees bent, as if on a horse.

dwit kubi뒷굽이

Back stance: weight mostly on the back leg; used with knife hand blocks.

beom seogi범서기

Tiger stance: short, with the front foot resting lightly on the ball.

hakdari seogi

Crane stance: standing on one leg.

makki막기

Block: a defence with the arm or hand. The ITF writes makgi, as in Saju Makgi.

arae makki아래 막기

Low block: sweeps the forearm down to clear a low attack.

momtong makki

Middle block: across the body at chest height.

eolgul makki얼굴 막기

High block: raises the forearm above the head.

sonnal makki

Knife hand block: blocking with the edge of the open hand.

jireugi지르기

Punch: a straight punch. The ITF writes jirugi, as in Saju Jirugi.

chigi치기

Strike: with the knife hand, back fist, elbow, hammer fist and so on.

momtong jireugi

Middle punch: a straight punch to the body.

sonnal mok chigi

Knife hand strike to the side of the neck.

deungjumeok ap chigi

Back fist strike: striking with the back of the knuckles.

palkup chigi

Elbow strike: palkup dollyo chigi round into the target, or palkup pyojeok chigi into the other palm.

pyeonsonkkeut tzireugi

Spear hand thrust: a fingertip thrust. Tzireugi is British Taekwondo's spelling for a thrust.

ap jeomok

Forefist: the front two knuckles. The ITF writes ap joomuk or apjumok.

deung jeomok

Back fist. The ITF writes dungjumok.

sonnal

Knife hand: the edge of the open hand. The ITF writes sonkal.

mei jeomok

Hammer fist, in British Taekwondo's list.

chagi

Kick: any kick.

ap chagi

Front kick: straight forward with the ball of the foot.

dollyo chagi

Turning or roundhouse kick: the classic taekwondo kick, swinging round to the target with the top or ball of the foot.

yop chagi옆차기

Side kick: sideways with the edge or heel of the foot.

dwi chagi

Back kick: turning away and kicking straight back with the heel. In WT sparring it only counts as a turning kick if the head and shoulders turn too.

bandae dollyo chagi

Reverse turning kick: spinning round and hooking the heel into the target. The ITF name; British Taekwondo says reverse turning kick.

twimyo

Jumping: a kick done in the air, for height or distance. The ITF says flying.

apchook

The ball of the foot. The ITF writes ap kumchi.

dwichook

The back of the heel. The ITF writes dwitchook.

balkal

Footsword: the edge of the foot, in the ITF's list.

eolgul얼굴

High section: the face. Also written olgul.

momtong

Middle section: the body.

arae아래

Low section.

hosinsul호신술

Self-defence: escapes from grabs, locks and takedowns. Part of every British Taekwondo Dan grading, with knife defence from 3rd Dan.

gyeokpa격파

Breaking boards with a technique, to show power and accuracy. British Taekwondo writes kyukpa and uses foam boards for 15 and under; the ITF Encyclopedia forbids it for children.

kyorugi겨루기

Sparring: the Olympic discipline. Also written gyeorugi.

chung청

Blue: one of the two contestants. The ITF writes chong.

hong홍

Red: the other contestant.

kal-yeo갈려

Break: the WT referee stops the action.

kye-sok계속

Continue, in WT rules.

kye-shi계시

Time out, for example for an injury, in WT rules.

gam-jeom감점

A penalty in WT sparring: one point to the opponent, two for some offences in the last 10 seconds of a round. Ten lose the match.

chung seung청승

Blue wins: announced by the WT referee from 1 November 2026. Hong seung is red wins.

woo-se-girok

Record superiority: the WT referee asks the judges to decide a tied round.

ja yu mat so gi

Free sparring, in the ITF's terminology.

he chot

Separate: the ITF referee pauses the bout.

ge sok

Continue, in ITF rules.

ju ui

Warning, in ITF rules: three warnings cost a point.

gam jom

Deducting a point, in ITF rules.

sil kyok

Disqualification, in ITF rules.

tuk gi

Special technique: the ITF event of flying kicks to a board held at a set height.

wi ryok

Power breaking: the ITF event of breaking boards in a frame with set techniques.

ho sin kyong gi

Self-defence routine: a pre arranged ITF demonstration event.

ju sim

Centre referee, in ITF rules. A corner referee is pu sim.