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Japanese terminology used in Karate 

 

 

General terms 

 
Yoi -Ready. 

Yame  -Stop 

 Rei -Bow   

Hajime -Start

Kiai  -Shout (with spirit)

Sensei  -Instructor 

Oss  -To indicate "yes, I understand" Dojo -Training place 

Kata   -Sequence of set moves

  

 

Kumite (fighting)  sparring

 

Kumite -Sparring 

Gohon Kumite â€“ 5 attack

Ippon Kumite   -1 step sparring 

Jyu Ippon Kumite  -Semi freestyle sparring

Jodan  -Upper level 

Gedan  - Lower level

Chudan  -Middle level 

 

Counting

 

Ichi  -One

Ni   -Two 

San  -Three 

Shi  -Four

Go   -Five

Rokyu - Six

Shichi  -Seven 

Hachi - Eight

Ku  -Nine

Ju  -Ten  
Ippon -Single 

Sanbon -Triple 

Gohon - Group of 5

 

Mawate -Turn 

Mae  -Forward

Ushiro - Back

Yoko   - Side 

Age  -Rising

Soto  -Outside to inside

Uchi  -Inside to outside 

Tate  -Upward  

 

 

Uke – Blocks
 

 

Otoshi (uke) -Downward  Blocking Techniques 

Gedan-barai -Downward block 

Age-uke -Rising block 

Shuto-uke -Sword hand block 

Soto-uke  -Outside to inside block 

Uchi-uke  -Inside to outside block Morote-uke  -Augmented forearm block 

Juji-uke   -"X" block

 

Zuki  -  Punching Techniques

 

Oi-zuki   -Lunge punch

Gyaku-zuki  -Reverse punch

Choku-zuki  -Straight punch (on the spot)

Sanbon-zuki  -Triple punch  

Kizami-zuki  -Jab with leading hand

Ura-zuki    - Upper cut punch

 

Geri - Kicks

 

Mae-geri  -Front kick 

Yoko-geri keage  -Side snap kick 

Yoko-geri kekomi  -Side thrust kick 

Mawashi-geri  -Roundhouse kick 

Hiza-geri  -Knee kick 

Ushiro-geri -Back kick 

Fumikomi -Stamping kick 

Ashi barai -Sweeping leg kick or foot 

Ushiro mawashi-geri  -Reverse roundhouse kick 

 

Dachi - Stance

 

Zenkutsu-dachi -Front stance 

Kokutsu-dachi - Backstance 

Kiba-dachi  -Side stance 

Heisoku-dachi  -Parallel leg stance (feet together and parallel) 

Fudo-dachi  -Rooted stance (like side stance, but facing 45°) 

Sochin-dachi -Another name for fudo-dachi

Hangetsu-dachi -Half moon stance 

Sanchin-dachi -Hour glass stance 

Neko ashi-dachi  -Cat footstance

Hanmi Sachi Ashi -Feet stepping over 

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