Dojo Terms
Dojo - training hall or school
Sensei - teacher
Senpai – higher belt
Kohai – lower belt
Hai - yes
Iie - no
Yoi - ready yourself (physical and mental)
Kamae - Move to a stance or posture
Hajime - begin
Yamae - end
Seiza - sitting position
Shinzen ni rei - bow to the place of honor
Shomen ni rei - bow to the front
Sensei ni rei - bow to the teacher
Otagai ni rei - bow to each other
Kyotsuke - attention position
Onegaishimasu - please (please help me learn)
Arigato gozai mashita - thank you
Gomen nasai - sorry
Kime - focus
Kiai - focused yell
Jodan - upper level
Chudan - middle level
Gedan - lower level
Gi - uniform
Obi - belt
Kata - forms
Kumite - sparring
Kobudo - old martial arts (Okinawan kobudo includes weapons)
Karate Techniques
Stances (Dachi)
Heisoku Dachi - Feet together (toes & heels touch)
Musubi Dachi - Heels together, toes point out 45°
Heiko Dachi - Parallel stance (feet shoulder width)
Sanchin - Hourglass stance
Shiko Dachi - Side facing/square stance (sumo)
Hanzen Dachi - Half forward stance
Zenkutsu Dachi - Forward (bent leg) stance
Kokutsu Dachi - Back (bent leg) stance
Nekoashi Dachi - Cat foot stance
Kosa Dachi - Crossed leg stance
Sagi Ashi Dachi - Crane stance (one leg)
Karate Striking Surfaces
Seiken - Knuckle(fore) fist
Kentsui - Hammerfist (bottom fist)
Uraken - Backfist
Nukite - Spearhand
Shuto - Sword (knife) hand
Teisho or shotei - Palm heel
Ippon Ken - One knuckle, one point fist
Haito - Ridge hand
Kote - Back of hand/forearm
Koken - Wrist
Hiji - Elbow
Hiza - Knee
Ushiro Kakato - Back of heel
Ashi Kubi - Instep
Josokutei - Ball of foot
Kasokutei - Heel
Sokuto - Outer edge of foot
Blocking Techniques (Uke Waza)
Age Uke - up block
Kosa Uke - Crossed arms block
Yoko Uchi Uke - Side Striking block
Soto Ude Uke - Outside forearm block
Yoko Uke - Inside forearm block
Kakete or kake uke - Hooking hand block
Hiji Uke - Elbow block
Nagashi Uke - Sweeping block
Sukui Uke - Scooping block
Shuto Uke - Sword hand block
Harai Uke or Gedan Barai - Down block (low level sweeping block)
Teisho Uke - Palm block
Haishu Uke - Back hand block
Osae Uke - Pressing block
Hand Techniques (Te Waza)
Tsuki - Punch
Tateken Tsuki - Vertical forefist
Uraken Tsuki - Inverted forefist (close punch)
Gyaku Tsuki - Reverse punch
Oi Tsuki - Lunge punch
Ipponken - One knuckle thrust
Nukite - Spear hand
Shuto Uchi - Sword hand (knife edge) strike
Kentsui Uchi - Bottom fist strike (hammer fist)
Uraken Uchi - Back knuckle strike
Haito Uchi - Ridge hand
Hijiate - Elbow strike
Foot Techniques (Ashi Waza)
Mae Geri - Front snap kick
Hiza Geri - Knee kick
Fumikomi - Stomp
Sokuto Geri - Edge of foot kick
Yoko Geri - Side thrust kick
Mawashi Geri - Round house kick
Ushiro Geri - Back kick
Kage Geri - Hook kick
Gyaku Mawashi Geri - Reverse round kick (hook heel kick)
Mikazuki Geri - Crescent kick
Tobi Geri - Jump kick
Dojo - training hall or school
Sensei - teacher
Senpai – higher belt
Kohai – lower belt
Hai - yes
Iie - no
Yoi - ready yourself (physical and mental)
Kamae - Move to a stance or posture
Hajime - begin
Yamae - end
Seiza - sitting position
Shinzen ni rei - bow to the place of honor
Shomen ni rei - bow to the front
Sensei ni rei - bow to the teacher
Otagai ni rei - bow to each other
Kyotsuke - attention position
Onegaishimasu - please (please help me learn)
Arigato gozai mashita - thank you
Gomen nasai - sorry
Kime - focus
Kiai - focused yell
Jodan - upper level
Chudan - middle level
Gedan - lower level
Gi - uniform
Obi - belt
Kata - forms
Kumite - sparring
Kobudo - old martial arts (Okinawan kobudo includes weapons)
Karate Techniques
Stances (Dachi)
Heisoku Dachi - Feet together (toes & heels touch)
Musubi Dachi - Heels together, toes point out 45°
Heiko Dachi - Parallel stance (feet shoulder width)
Sanchin - Hourglass stance
Shiko Dachi - Side facing/square stance (sumo)
Hanzen Dachi - Half forward stance
Zenkutsu Dachi - Forward (bent leg) stance
Kokutsu Dachi - Back (bent leg) stance
Nekoashi Dachi - Cat foot stance
Kosa Dachi - Crossed leg stance
Sagi Ashi Dachi - Crane stance (one leg)
Karate Striking Surfaces
Seiken - Knuckle(fore) fist
Kentsui - Hammerfist (bottom fist)
Uraken - Backfist
Nukite - Spearhand
Shuto - Sword (knife) hand
Teisho or shotei - Palm heel
Ippon Ken - One knuckle, one point fist
Haito - Ridge hand
Kote - Back of hand/forearm
Koken - Wrist
Hiji - Elbow
Hiza - Knee
Ushiro Kakato - Back of heel
Ashi Kubi - Instep
Josokutei - Ball of foot
Kasokutei - Heel
Sokuto - Outer edge of foot
Blocking Techniques (Uke Waza)
Age Uke - up block
Kosa Uke - Crossed arms block
Yoko Uchi Uke - Side Striking block
Soto Ude Uke - Outside forearm block
Yoko Uke - Inside forearm block
Kakete or kake uke - Hooking hand block
Hiji Uke - Elbow block
Nagashi Uke - Sweeping block
Sukui Uke - Scooping block
Shuto Uke - Sword hand block
Harai Uke or Gedan Barai - Down block (low level sweeping block)
Teisho Uke - Palm block
Haishu Uke - Back hand block
Osae Uke - Pressing block
Hand Techniques (Te Waza)
Tsuki - Punch
Tateken Tsuki - Vertical forefist
Uraken Tsuki - Inverted forefist (close punch)
Gyaku Tsuki - Reverse punch
Oi Tsuki - Lunge punch
Ipponken - One knuckle thrust
Nukite - Spear hand
Shuto Uchi - Sword hand (knife edge) strike
Kentsui Uchi - Bottom fist strike (hammer fist)
Uraken Uchi - Back knuckle strike
Haito Uchi - Ridge hand
Hijiate - Elbow strike
Foot Techniques (Ashi Waza)
Mae Geri - Front snap kick
Hiza Geri - Knee kick
Fumikomi - Stomp
Sokuto Geri - Edge of foot kick
Yoko Geri - Side thrust kick
Mawashi Geri - Round house kick
Ushiro Geri - Back kick
Kage Geri - Hook kick
Gyaku Mawashi Geri - Reverse round kick (hook heel kick)
Mikazuki Geri - Crescent kick
Tobi Geri - Jump kick