Reference · Terminology
Learn a handful of suffixes and most karate vocabulary decodes itself: -dachi = stance, -uke = block/receive, -zuki / tsuki = punch/thrust, -uchi = strike, -geri / keri = kick, -barai = sweep. Levels: jodan (head), chudan (body), gedan (lower). Explore the illustrated techniques under basics, and the counting and commands on our dojo terms page.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Age-uke | rising (upper) block |
| Ashi | foot / leg |
| Ashi-barai | foot sweep |
| Atemi | strike to a vital point |
| Budō | martial way |
| Bunkai | analysis / application of kata |
| Chudan | middle level (torso) |
| Choku-zuki | straight punch |
| Dachi | stance (suffix) |
| Dan | black-belt rank |
| Dōjō | training hall |
| Dōjō-kun | the dojo’s guiding precepts |
| Embusen | the floor pattern of a kata |
| Empi / Enpi | elbow; elbow strike (also a kata) |
| Fudō-dachi | rooted stance |
| Fumikomi | stamping kick |
| Gedan | lower level |
| Gedan-barai | lower sweeping block |
| Geri / keri | kick |
| Gi | training uniform |
| Gohon kumite | five-step sparring |
| Gyaku-zuki | reverse punch |
| Hachiji-dachi | natural / ready stance |
| Hajime | begin |
| Hangetsu-dachi | half-moon stance |
| Hara | lower abdomen / centre |
| Heian | the five basic ‘peaceful mind’ kata |
| Hidari | left |
| Hiza | knee |
| Jodan | upper level (head) |
| Jiyu kumite | free sparring |
| Jiyu ippon kumite | semi-free one-step sparring |
| Kamae | combative posture / guard |
| Kata | formal prearranged form |
| Keage | snap (kick) |
| Kekomi | thrust (kick) |
| Ki | spirit / energy |
| Kiai | spirit shout |
| Kiba-dachi | horse-riding stance |
| Kihon | basics |
| Kime | focus; tension at impact |
| Kizami-zuki | jab (lead-hand punch) |
| Kokutsu-dachi | back stance |
| Kumite | sparring |
| Kyū | pre-black-belt rank |
| Maai | combative distance |
| Mae-geri | front kick |
| Mawashi-geri | roundhouse kick |
| Mawatte | turn around |
| Migi | right |
| Mokuso | silent meditation |
| Morote-uke | augmented (two-hand) block |
| Musubi-dachi | informal attention stance |
| Nagashi-uke | sweeping / flowing block |
| Naore | return to ready |
| Neko-ashi-dachi | cat stance |
| Nukite | spear-hand strike |
| Obi | belt |
| Oi-zuki | lunge / stepping punch |
| Onegaishimasu | ‘please’ (before training) |
| Osu / Oss | all-purpose acknowledgment |
| Otoshi | dropping technique |
| Rei | bow |
| Renraku-waza | combination techniques |
| Ryū | school / style |
| Sanbon-zuki | triple punch |
| Seiza | formal kneeling posture |
| Sempai | senior student |
| Sensei | teacher |
| Shizentai | natural posture |
| Shomen | the front of the dojo |
| Shutō | knife-hand; shutō-uke = knife-hand block |
| Soto-uke | outside-to-inside block |
| Tai-sabaki | body shifting / evasion |
| Tate-zuki | vertical-fist punch |
| Te | hand |
| Teishō | palm-heel |
| Tekki | the ‘iron horse’ (Naihanchi) kata |
| Tettsui | hammer-fist |
| Tobi-geri | jumping kick |
| Tsuki / zuki | punch / thrust |
| Uchi | strike; also ‘inside’ |
| Uchi-uke | inside-to-outside block |
| Uke | block / receive; ukemi = break-fall |
| Uraken | back-fist |
| Ushiro-geri | back kick |
| Waza | technique |
| Yame | stop |
| Yoi | ready |
| Yoko-geri | side kick |
| Yudansha | black-belt holder |
| Zanshin | sustained awareness after a technique |
| Zenkutsu-dachi | front stance |