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Shotokan Technique · Strike

貫手Nukite — Spear-hand

Nukite (貫手, “spear-hand”) thrusts the fingertips into a soft target — throat, solar plexus, eyes — with the same hip-and-hikite mechanics as a punch. The usual form is shihon nukite (four fingers); nihon (two-finger) and ippon (one-finger) variants strike smaller targets.
TypeStrike (thrust)
WeaponFingertips
VariantsShihon / nihon / ippon
TargetsSoft tissue
StanceZenkutsu-dachi

See the technique型

Toggle between the phases. These are simplified schematics of the shape of the technique — pair them with the step-by-step below and your instructor.

A diagram shows the shape, not the speed or feel. For full-motion form, watch the reference video below and train it live.

How to perform it

  1. Form the hand: fingers straight and pressed firmly together, thumb bent and tucked; for four-finger nukite, bend the middle finger slightly so the fingertips form one level edge.
  2. Chamber the striking hand and pull the other hand strongly back to the hip (hikite).
  3. Thrust straight from the chamber along a direct line, palm usually facing down (some kata, e.g. Sōchin, use palm-up).
  4. Fix the wrist and fingers into one rigid, aligned unit at impact so force reaches the fingertips without the wrist collapsing.
  5. Drive with the hips and focus with kime on a soft target.

Key points

  • Fingers tight together, aligned into one level striking edge.
  • Wrist and forearm rigidly aligned at impact.
  • Aim only at soft targets — not hard, bony ones.

Common mistakes

Fingers loose or spread — the spear collapses and fingers can jam.
The middle finger left protruding, taking the whole impact.
A bent or soft wrist at impact.
Striking hard/bony targets with unconditioned fingers.

Where you’ll see it

Nukite appears across the Shotokan kata syllabus, including:

Kankū DaiGojūshiho ShōGojūshiho DaiSōchin

Application (bunkai)分解

A penetrating strike into vulnerable soft tissue — the throat or solar plexus — where small surface area concentrates the force. Kankū Dai’s signature four-finger thrust and Gojūshiho Shō’s repeated one-finger “pecking” strikes are the famous examples.

Note: applications are interpretive and one shape carries several valid uses — explore them with a qualified instructor.

Watch a reference performance演武

To see Nukite performed at full speed, watch instructor demonstrations:

▶ Watch “Nukite” on YouTube

Related techniques

Haitō-uchi背刀打ちShutō-uchi手刀打ちTeishō-uchi底掌打ち

Nukite — frequently asked questions

What part of the hand does nukite hit with?
The fingertips — usually the four-finger shihon nukite, with the middle finger bent so the tips form one level surface.
What are the three types of nukite?
Shihon (four-finger), nihon (two-finger, an eye strike) and ippon (one-finger, a pinpoint thrust).
Is nukite practical to use?
It is effective against soft targets (throat, eyes, solar plexus) but risky to your own fingers without conditioning and precise alignment — best reserved for self-defence, not sparring.
Which kata is nukite most famous in?
Kankū Dai (the signature four-finger thrust) and Gojūshiho Shō (repeated one-finger ippon-nukite, the “woodpecker” strikes).