Haverhill Shotokan Karate-Do

Japanese Terminology and Definitions used in Shotokan Karate

As Shotokan karate-do is a Japanese martial art, it is important for all students and practitioners to understand the terms and basic words used. Many techniques and expressions can have more than one name or word to describe them, which can be confusing, but in the Japanese language they are often different ways to express the same word.

 Numbers 1-20

•   1 - Ichi
•   2 - Ni
•   3 - San
•   4 - Shi
•   5 - Go
•   6 - Roku
•   7 - Shichi
•   8 - Hachi
•   9 - Ku
• 10 - Jyu
• 11 - Jyu Ichi
• 12 - Jyu Ni
• 13 - Jyu San
• 14 - Jyu Shi
• 15 - Jyu Go
• 16 - Jyu Roku
• 17 - Jyu Shichi
• 18 - Jyu Hachi
• 19 - Jyu Ku
• 20 - Nijyu

General Terms

• Budo - Way of combat
• Bunkai - Application (interpretation) of kata techniques
• Dan - Level
• Do - Way
• Dojo - School, training room or hall
• Domo Arigato - Thank you
• Embusen - Floor pattern/performance line of a kata
• Gi - Uniform
• Gohon Kumite - Five-step sparring
• Hai - Yes
• Hiki Te - Withdrawing hand, pulling in block
• Ippon Kumite - One-step sparring
• Jiyyu Ippon Kumite - Semi-free one-step sparring
• Jiyyu Kumite - Free Sparring
• Karate - Empty Hand
• Karate Do - The Way of Karate (Empty Hand)
• Karateka - Practitioner of Karate
• Kiai - Spirit shout/focus of spiritual energy
• Kihon - Fundamentals
• Kime - Focusing concentration and power
• Kohai - Junior student
• Kyu - Rank
• Maai - Distance
• Mawate - Turn around, or about face
• Mokuso - Meditate
• Naote - Relax
• Obi - Belt
• Usu - I understand and will try my best. Also used to show respect and enthusiasm.
• Sambon Kumite - Three-step sparring
• Sempai - Senior student
• Sensei - Instructor
• Shiha - Master
• Shotokan - 'House of Shoto'; pen name of Gichin Funakoshi

• Zanchin - Awareness; Following through a technique while maintaining awareness
• Sen No Sen - Attacking at the same moment your opponent attacks Video
•  
  Sen Sen No Sen - Attacking before your opponent attacks (a preemptive attack)
• Go No Sen - Allowing your opponent to attack first for counter attacks Video
• Shorin - Quick movement, emphasizing speed
• Shorei - Slow, strong movement, emphasizing strength

Body Parts

• Ashi - Leg
• Ashikubi - Ankle
• Atama - Head
• Chudan - Mid-level
• Empi (Also Hiji) - Elbow
• Ensho - Back of the heel
• Gedan - Lower level (groin)
• Heisoku - Top (Instep) of the foot
• Hiza (Also Hitsui) - Knee
• Ippon Ken - Single-point index-finger fist
• Jiku Ashi - Pivot leg
• Jodan - Head level
• Kaishu - Open hand
• Kakato - Shoulder
• Ken - Fist
• Koshi - Ball of the foot
• Naiwan - Back of arm
• Sokuto - Outer edge (knife) of the foot
• Tate Ken - Vertical fist
• Te - Hand
• Teisho - Palm heel
• Teisoku - Bottom of the foot
• Tekubi - Wrist
• Tsumasaki - Toe tips
• Ude - Forearm
• Wan - Arm

Commands

• Age-Te - Hands up (cover position)
• Hajime - Begin
• Mawate - Turn around
• Naore - Return to Shizen-tai
• Narande - Line up
• Otaigai Ni - Face towards each other
• Rei - Bow
• Seiretsu - Line up by rank
• Seiza - Kneel
• Sensei Ni - Face towards the teacher
• Shomen Ni - Face towards the front
• Yame - Stop
• Yasume - Relax (or ready position)
• Yoi - Get ready

• Age - Rising
• Gyaku - Reverse
• Hidari - Left
• Mae - Front
• Mawashi - Round
• Migi - Right
• Otoshi - Dropping
• Sokumen - Side
• Soto - Outer
• Tate - Vertical
• Tobi - Jump
• Uchi - Inner
• Ushiro - Back
• Yoko - Side
• Tai Sabaki - Whole body movement, or repositioning

Tsuki Waza (Punches)

• Age Tsuki - Rising punch
• Awase Tsuki - 'U' punch
• Choku Tsuki - Straight punch
• Gyaku Tsuki - Reverse punch
• Ippon Ken Tsuki - One-knuckle fist punch (Hangetsu)
• Kagi Tsuki - Hook punch
• Kizami Tsuki - Jab
• Mawashi Tsuki - Round house punch
• Morote Shita Tsuki - Augmented upper inverted punch
• Morote Tsuki - Parallel punch
• Ni Jodan Shita Tsuki - Double inverted upper punch
• Ni Yoko Chudan Tsuki - Double middle side punch
• Oi Tsuki - Lunge punch
• Oi Tsuki Maeude Hine - Lunge punch with turning forearm
• Oi-Gyaku Tsuki - Lunging reverse punch
• Otoshi tsuki - Dropping punch (Empi)
• Ren Tsuki - Double punch
• San Tsuki - Triple punch
• Shita Tsuki - Inverted punch
• Ura Tsuki - Close punch
• Yama Tsuki - Wide 'U' (Mountain) punch
• Yoko Tsuki - Side punch

Uchi Waza (Strikes)

• Age Nihon Nukite - Two finger spear hand strike
• Empi Uchi - Elbow strike
• Gyaku Haito Uchi - Reverse backfist strike
• Haishu Uchi - Back hand strike
• Haito Uchi - Back fist strike
• Hiraken Uchi - Foreknuckle strike
• Hiza Age Ate - Rising knee strike
• Hiza Geri - Knee strike
• Ippon ken - One knuckle strike
• Ippon Nukite Uchi - Single finger strike
• Koko Uchi - Tiger mouth strike
• Kumade Uchi - Bear claw strike
• Mae Empi Uchi - Front elbow strike
• Mawashi Empi Uchi - Round elbow strike
• Nakadaka Ippon Ken - One knuckle strike
• Nihon Nukite Uchi - Two finger strike
• Nukite Zuki - Spear hand strike
• Shuto Uchi - Knife hand strike
• Shuto Zuki - Sword hand strike
• Soto Shuto Uchi - Outside knife hand strike
• Soto Uke - Forearm strike
• Tate Empi Uchi - Upward elbow strike
• Tate Mawashi Uchi - Vertical roundhouse strike
• Teisho Uchi - Palm heel strike
• Tetsui Zuki - Hammer fist strike
• Uchi Shuto Uchi - Inside knife hand strike
• Uraken Uchi - Back fist strike
• Washide Uchi - Eagle beak strike (Gojushiho Dai)
• Yoko Empi Uchi - Side elbow strike
• Yoko Mawashi Empi - Side roundhouse elbow strike

Geri Waza (Kicks)

• Ashi-Barai - Foot sweep Video
• Fumikomi Geri - Stomping kick
• Hiza Geri - Knee kick/strike
• Mae Geri - Front kick
• Mae Geri Keage - Front snap kick
• Mae Geri Kekomi - Front trust kick
• Mawashi Geri - Round kick
• Mika Zuki Geri - Crescent kick
• Ni Mae Geri - Double front kick
• Nidan Geri - Double kick
• Soto Mikazuki Geri - Outside crescent kick
• Tobi Geri - Flying (Jump) kick
• Uchi Mikazuki Geri - Inside crescent kick
• Ushiro Geri - Back thrust kick
• Yoko Geri Keage - Side snap kick
• Yoko Geri Kekomi - Side thrust kick

Uke Waza (Blocks)

• Age Uke - Rising block
• Awase Shuto Age Uke - Combined rising knife-hand block
• Empi Uke - Elbow block
• Gassho Uke - Double palm heel block
• Gedan-Barai - Down block
• Haishu Uke - Back hand block
• Haiwan Nagashi Uke - Sweeping back-arm block
• Juji Uke - X block
• Kakiwaki Uke - Reverse wedge block
• Kosa Uke - Cross block
• Manji Uke - Hi/low block
• Morote Uke - Augmented inside-outward block
• Nagashi Uke - Sweeping block
• Ni Jodan Uke - Double rising block
• Osae Uke - Pressing block
• Otoshi Uke - Dropping or falling block
• Ryowan Uchi Uke - Double inside block
• Shuto Uke - Knife block
• Sokumen Awase Uke - Side combined block
• Soto Ude Uke - Outside forearm block
• Soto Uke - Inward middle block
• Sukui Uke - Scooping block
• Tate Shuto Uchi Uke - Vertical inside outward sword hand block
• Tate Shuto Uke - Vertical knife-hand block
• Te Nagashi Uke - Sweeping hand block (parry)
• Teisho Oshi Uke - Pressing palm heel block
• Tetsui Zuki - Hammer fist
• Tsukami Uke - Grasping block
• Uchi Otoshi - Falling block
• Uchi Ude Uke - Inside forearm block
• Uchi Uke - Inside-outward block
• Yoko Uchi Barai - Side sweeping block

Dachi Waza (Stances)

• Fudo Dachi - Fighting (rooted) stance
• Hachiji Dachi - Open-legged stance (Yoi)
• Heiko Dachi - Parallel stance
• Hangetsu Dachi - Wide hour-glass stance
• Heisoku Dachi - Formal attention stance (Yoi)
• Hidari Ash Dachi - Left legged stance
• Hidari Ashi Orishiku - Left leg kneeling
• Kamae - Posture (Yoi)
• Kiba Dachi - Straddle (Horse) stance
• Kokutsu Dachi - Back stance
• Kosa Dachi - Cross-legged stance
• Migi Ashi Orishiku - Right leg kneeling
• Musubi Dachi - Informal attention stance (feet in a 'V')
• Neko-Ashi Dachi - Cat stance
• Renoji Dachi - 'L' stance
• Shizentai - Soto hachiji-dachi - (Natural posture with both fists positioned in front of the hips)
•  
  Zenkutsu Dachi - Front stance

Kata (English Interpretation)

• Heian Shodan - Peaceful Mind First Level Video
• Heian Nidan - Peaceful Mind Second Level Video
• Heian Sandan - Peaceful Mind Third Level Video
• Heian Yodan - Peaceful Mind Fourth Level Video
• Heian Godan - Peaceful Mind Fifth Level Video
• Bassai Dai - To Penetrate or Storm A Fortress Major Video
• Bassai Sho - To Storm The Castle and Capture The Enemy Minor Video
• Hangetsu - Half Moon or Crescent Moon Video
• Tekki Shodan - Iron Horse First Level or Horse Riding First Level Video
• Tekki Nidan - Iron Horse First Level or Horse Riding Second Level Video
• Tekki Sandan - Iron Horse First Level or Horse Riding Third Level Video
• Kanku Dai - Viewing The Sky Major or To Look At The Sky Major Video
• Kanku Sho - Viewing The Sky Minor or To Look At The Sky Minor Video
• Jion - Originated And Named After "Jionji" (literally "Jion Temple") in China Video
• Jitte - Ten Hands Video
• Jiin - Temple Grounds Video
• Empi - The Flight Of A Swallow or Flying Swallow Video
• Gankaku - Crane Standing On A Rock Video
• Wankan - King's Crown or Crown of Kings Video
• Meikyo - Brightly Polished Mirror Video
• Sochin - Strength And Calmness. Also, Immovable In The Face Of Danger Video
• Niju Shiho - The Name Is Derived from The 24 Foot Moves In The Kata Video
• Chinte - Extra-ordinary (Strange/Unusual) Hands, Chinese Hands Video
• Unsu - Cloud Hands or Hands In The Sky Video
• Gojushiho Dai - 54 Steps Major Video
• Gojushiho Sho - 54 Steps Minor Video
• Sanchin - Three Hands (Goju Ryu Kata) Video