Japanese |
Pronunciation |
English |
| Age-uke |
Ah-gay-oo-kay |
Upper rising block |
| Age-zuki |
Ah-gay-zoo-kay |
Upper rising punch |
| Go to top |
| Bassai-dai |
Bass-eye-dye |
To penetrate a fortress |
| Bo |
Boh |
A staff |
| Budo |
Boo-dough |
Martial ways |
| Go to top |
| Chinte |
Chin-tay |
Chinese hands |
| Choku-zuki |
Choke-oo-zoo-key |
Straight punch |
| Chudan |
Chew-dan |
Middle level |
| Go to top |
| Dachi |
Dar-chee |
Stance |
| Dan |
Dahn |
Level (black belt grade) |
| Do |
Dough |
The way of... |
| Do-gi |
Dough-ghee |
Karate uniform |
| Dojo |
Dough-joe |
Training hall |
| Go to top |
| Empi |
Em-pee |
Flying swallow; Elbow |
| Empi-uchi |
Em-pee-oo-chee |
Elbow strike |
| Empi-uke |
Em-pee-oo-key |
Elbow block |
| Go to top |
| Fumikomi |
Foo-me-koh-me |
Stamping kick |
| Fudo-dachi |
Foo-dough-dah-chee |
Immovable stance |
| Go to top |
| Gankaku |
Gahn-car-koo |
Crane on a rock |
| Gedan |
Geh-dahn |
Lower level |
| Gedan-barai |
Geh-dahn-baa-rye |
Lower parry |
| Gedan-zuki |
Geh-dahn-zoo-key |
Lower punch |
| Geri |
Geh-rhee |
Kick |
| Gi |
Ghee |
Practice suit |
| Gohon-kumite |
Go-hon-koo-me-tay |
Five step sparring |
| Gyaku |
Gya-koo |
Reverse |
| Gyaku-zuki |
Gya-koo-zoo-key |
Reverse punch |
| Go to top |
| Hachiji-dachi |
Hah-chee-gee-dah-chee |
Natural open-leg stance |
| Haishu-uchi |
Hi-shoe-oo-chee |
Back hand strike |
| Haishu-uke |
Hi-shoe-oo-key |
Back hand block |
| Haito |
Hi-toe |
Ridge hand |
| Haito-Uchi |
Hi-toe-oo-chee |
Ridge hand strike |
| Haito-Uke |
Hi-toe-oo-kay |
Ridge hand block |
| Haiwan |
Hi-wharn |
Back-arm |
| Haiwan-Uke |
Hi-wharn-oo-key |
Back-arm-block |
| Hangetsu |
Hahn-get-sue |
Half-moon |
| Hanmi |
Hahn-me |
Half-facing-position |
| Hara | Hah-rah | Concept
of spiritual centre |
| Hara-Kiri | Hah-rah-key-ree | Literally:
Belly cut |
| Heian | Hey-un | Peaceful
mind |
| Heian Shodan | Hey-un-sho-dahn | Peaceful
mind First level |
| Heian Nidan | Hey-un-knee-dahn | Peaceful
mind Second level |
| Heian Sandan | Hey-un-san-dahn | Peaceful
mind Third level |
| Heian Yondan | Hey-un-yon-dahn | Peaceful
mind Fourth level |
| Heian Godan | Hey-un-go-dahn | Peaceful
mind Fifth level |
| Heisoku-Dachi | Hey-sock-oo-dah-chee
| Informal attention stance |
| Hidari | He-dar-rhee | Left
|
| Hiraken | He-rah-ken
| Fore-knuckle-fist |
| Hiza
| He-zar | Knee |
| Hiza-geri | He-zar | Knee-kick
|
| Honbu | Hon-boo
| Main training hall |
| Go to top |
| Ippon-Ken | Eepon-ken | One
knuckle fist |
| Ippon-Nukite | Eepon-noo-key-tay | One
finger spear hand |
| Go to top |
| Ji'in
| Gee-inn | Named
after temple, Jion |
| Jion |
Gee-on | Temple |
| Jitte |
Gee-tay |
Ten-hands |
|
Jiyu-Ippon |
Gee-you-eepon |
Semi-free-one-attack |
|
Jiyu-Kumite |
Gee-you-koo-me-tay |
Free-sparring |
|
Jodan |
Joe-dahn |
Upper
level |
| Juji
Uke |
Jew-gee-oo-kay |
X-block |
| Go to top |
| Ka
| Car | Person
/ Student |
| Kage-uke |
kah-gay-oo-kay |
Hooking-block |
|
Kage-Zuki |
Kah-gay-zoo-key |
Hooking-punch |
|
Kakato |
Kah-kar-toe |
Heal |
|
Kakiwake-Uke |
Kah-key-wah-kay-ookay |
Wedge-block |
| Kamikaze |
Kah-me-kah-zay |
Divine
wind, Suicide pilots |
|
Kanku
Dai |
Kahn-koo-dah-ee |
To look
at the sky |
|
Kara |
Kah-rah |
Empty-Chinese |
|
Kata |
Kah-tah |
Formal
exercise |
| Keage |
Key-ah-gay | Snap |
|
Keito-Uke |
Kay-toe-oo-kay |
Chicken-head-wrist-block |
|
Kekomi |
Kay-koh-me | Thrust |
| Keri
| Keh-rhee | Kick |
| Ki |
Key |
Inner
power (Spirit) |
| Kiai |
Key-eye |
Shout
to unite ki & Physical |
|
Kiba-Dachi |
Key-bah-dah-chee |
Straddle-leg-stance |
|
Kihon
Ippon |
Key-on-eepon |
Basic-one-attack |
| Kime |
Key-may |
Focus |
|
Kizami-Zuki |
Key-za-mee-zoo-key |
Front-snap-punch |
|
Kin-Geri |
Kin-geh-rhee |
Groin-kick |
|
Kokutsu-Dachi |
Ko-koot-sue-dah-chee |
Back-stance |
| Koshi |
Ko-shi |
Ball-of-foot |
| Kumade |
Koo-mar-day |
Bear-hand |
| Kumite |
Koo-me-tay | Sparring |
| Kun
| 'U' as in
ou in could | Oath |
| Kyu | Quew |
Rank
below black-belt |
| Go to top |
| Ma-ai
| May-eye | Distancing |
| Mae |
Mah-eh | Front |
|
Mae-Geri |
Mah-eh-geh-rhee |
Front-Kick |
|
Makiwara |
Mar-key-wa-rah |
Striking-post |
|
Mawashi-Geri |
Ma-wa-she-ge-rhee |
Roundhouse-kick |
| Mawashi-Zuki |
Ma-wa-she-zoo-key |
Roundhouse-punch |
|
Mawate |
Mah-wa-tay | Turn |
|
Migi |
Me-ghee | Right |
|
Mikazuki-Geri |
Me-car-zoo-key-ge-rhee |
Crescent-kick |
| Mizu-No-Kokoro |
Me-zoo-no-ko-ko-roe |
Mind-like-water |
|
Mokuso |
Moku-sow |
Meditation |
|
Morote-Uke |
Mo-ro-tay-oo-kay |
Augmented-forearm-block |
|
Morote-Zuki |
Mo-ro-tay-zoo-key |
Augmented-block |
| Musubi-Dachi |
Moo-soo-bee-Dah-chee |
? |
| | |
| Nagashi-Uke | Nah-gah-she-oo-kay
| Sweeping-block |
|
Naha-te |
Nah-ha-tay |
Okinawan
Karate school |
|
Nakadaka-Ippon-Ken |
Nar-ka-dah-car-eepon-ken |
One
knuckle fist |
|
Nami-Ashi |
Nar-me-ar-she |
Inside
leg block |
|
Neko-Ashi-Dachi |
Neh-ko-ar-she-dah-chee |
Cat-stance |
|
Nidan-Geri |
Nee-dahn-ge-rhee |
Two
level kick |
|
Nihon-Nukite |
Knee-on-Noo-key-tay |
Two
finger Spear-hand |
|
Nukite |
Noo-key-tay |
Spear
hand thrust |
| Go to top |
| Obi | Oh-bee | Belt /
Sash |
|
Oi-Zuki |
Oi-zoo-key |
Stepping-punch |
| Go to top |
| Rei | Ryu | Bow |
|
Ren-Zuki |
Wren-zoo-key |
Alternate
punching |
| Ryu |
Ree-you |
School
(style) of karate |
| Sanbon-Kumite | San-bon-koo-me-tay
| Three
step sparring |
|
Seiken |
Say-ken |
Fore-fist |
| Seiza |
Say-zar |
Japanese
Kneeling position |
| Sempai |
Sem-pie | senior |
| Sensei |
Sen-say |
Teacher |
| Seppuku |
Sep-poo-koo |
Ritual
suicide |
| Shihan |
She-harn |
Master,
6th Dan and above |
| Shiro |
She-roe | White |
| Shizentai |
She-zen-tah-ee |
Natural-stance |
| Shuto |
Shoe-toe |
Knife-hand |
|
Shuto-Uchi |
Shoe-toe-oo-chee |
Knife-hand-strike |
|
Shuto-Uke |
Shoe-toe-oo-kay |
Knife-hand-block |
| Sochin |
Saw-chin |
A
formal exercise |
|
Sokuto |
Sow-koo-toe |
Foot-edge |
|
Soto-Ude-Uke |
So-toh-oo-day-oo-kay |
Outside-forearm-block |
| Go to top |
| Taikyoku | Tar-eek-yo-koo | First
Cause |
| Taikyoku-shodan | Tar-eek-yo-koo-sho-Dahn | Formal exercise |
| Tai-Sabaki | Tye-sar-bar-key | Body
shifting |
| Tate-Shuto-Uke | Tar-tay-shoo-toe-oo-key | Vertical
Knife hand block |
| Te | Tay | Hand |
| Teisho | Tay-show | Palm-heel |
| Teisho-Uchi | Tay-show-oo-chee | Palm-heel-strike |
| Teisho-Uke | Tay-show-oo-kay | Palm-heel-block |
| Tekki-Nidan | Tey-key-knee-dahn | 2nd
level formal exercise |
| Tekki-Sandan | Tey-key-sahn-dahn | 3rd
level formal exercise |
| Tekki-Shodan | Tey-key-show-dahn | 1st level formal exercise |
| Tettsui | Tet-sooie | Bottom-fist |
| Tettsui-Uchi | Tet-sooie-oo-chee | Bottom-fist-strike |
| Tobi | Toe-be | jump |
| Tsuki | Tsue-key | Punch |
| Go to top |
| Uchi | Oo-chee | Strike |
| Uchi-Ude-Uke | oo-chee-oo-kay | Inside
forearm block |
| Ude | Oo-day | Forearm |
| Uke | Oo-kay | Block |
| Unsu | Oon-sue | Hands
of the cloud |
| Ura-Zuki | Oo-rah-zoo-key | Close-punch |
| Uraken | Oo-rah-ken | Backfist |
| Ushiro-Empi | Oo-she-row-em-pee | Reverse-elbow |
| Ushiro-Geri | Oo-she-row-geh-rhee | Back-kick |
| Ushiro-Mawashi-Geri |
Oo-she-row-ma-washy-
geh- rhee | Back-roundhouse kick |
| Go to top |
| Washide | Wah-she-day | Eagle-hand
(beak) |
| Wankan | Wahn-kahn | Shortest
Shotokan Kata |
| Yama-Zuki | Yah-mah-zoo-key | U-punch |
| Yame | Yar-may | Stop / Finish |
| Yoi | Yoy
as in boy | Ready |
| Yoko | Yoh-koh | Side |
| Yoko-Empi-Uchi | Yo-ko-empee-oo-chee | Side-elbow-strike |
| Yoko-Geri |
Yo-ko-geh-rhee |
Side-kick |
| Go to top |
| Zazen |
Zar-zen |
Seated-meditation |
| Zen |
Zen |
A form of Buddhism |
| Zenkutsu-Dachi |
Zen-koo-tsue-dah-chee |
Forward-stance (front) |
| Zuki |
Zoo-key |
Punch |
Shotokan terminology