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Relevant Japanese Terms in Karate
Pronunciation
All vowels are short and pronounced as follows:
"a" as in "father"
"i" as in "teen" except shorter
"u" as in "boot" except shorter
"e" as in "bet"
"o" as in "boat" except shorter and without the off-glide
Longer vowel sounds are the same sounds as above, but given more time.
"aa," a longer "a"
"ii," a longer "i"
"uu," a longer "u"
"ei," a longer "e"
"oh," a longer "o"
Except for the above, if you see two or more vowels in a row, they are each pronounced clearly
without becoming a single diphthong. An apostrophe is used where a glottal stop occurs (like
between the "n" and the second "a" when pronouncing "an apple").
Consonants always take their "hard" sounds. So "gi" is pronounced with a hard "g" (i.e., not
"ji"). "Ch" is always as in "cheese."
The hyphens don't mean anything but serve to distinguish separate syllables when it might be
ambiguous, or to separate a word into two semantic parts. There shouldn't be a pause for
hyphens.
Parentheses are used whenever a word might be omitted by some people, or if the translation
could mean more than one thing. For example, "nukite," literally only means "spear hand," which
is just the name of the "weapon" you form with your hand, but it is also often used to mean the
attack, "spear-hand thrust." So "thrust" is in parentheses.
Quotation marks are used on the English side to distinguish between literal translations of the
Japanese terms from their more figurative meanings (quotes indicate literal translation).
Numbers
1-ichi 2-ni 3-san 4-shi 5-go 6-roku 7-shichi
8-hachi 9-ku 10-juu
When counting for class, just pronounce the first syllable of bisyllabic numbers (i.e., ich, rok,
shich, hach), for shorter, sharper counting.
Stances
hachinoji-dachi -- ready stance
zenkutsu-dachi -- front stance
koh-kutsu-dachi -- back stance
kiba-dachi -- horse stance / saddle stance
neko-dachi -- cat stance
sochin-dachi / fudoh-dachi -- sochin stance / "immovable" stance
sanchin-dachi -- "hourglass" stance
hangetsu-dachi -- "half moon" stance
Arm Attacks
tsuki -- punch
oi-zuki -- lunge punch
gyaku-zuki -- reverse punch
kizami-zuki -- jab punch
nukite -- spear-hand (thrust)
ura-ken -- back hand (strike)
empi -- elbow (strike)
Leg Attacks
keri -- kick
mae-geri -- front (snap) kick
mawashi-geri -- round house kick
(yoko-geri) kekomi -- side thrust kick
(yoko-geri) keage -- side snap kick
ushiro-geri -- back (thrust) kick
Levels of Attack
joh-dan -- "upper level" / face
chudan- “middle level”/chest
gedan -- "lower level" / groin
Blocks
age-uke -- rising block
ude-uke -- "arm block", often used to mean outside block
soto-uke -- outside block (see above)
uchi-uke -- inside block
gedan barai -- down block / "lower level sweep"
shuto-uke -- knife-hand block
nagashi-uke -- "flushing block" / deflecting block
kakiwake-uke -- two-handed "separating" block
juji-uke -- two-handed "cross" block
Kata
Translations are approximate transliterations of the Chinese characters used to "spell" the kata
names.
kata -- form(s)
heian shodan -- "stable and secure / stable peace, first level"
heian nidan -- ditto, "second level"
heian sandan -- ditto, "third level"
heian yondan -- you get the idea
heian godan
tekki shodan -- "iron horseman," "first level"
tekki nidan
tekki sandan
bassai dai -- "destroying a fortress, greater (version)" (*)
bassai sho [shoh] -- "destroying a fortress, lesser (version)" (*)
empi -- "flight of the swallow"
jion -- "compassion and favor." This is a Buddhist term and possibly the name of some temple.
kanku dai -- "observing the sky/emptiness, greater (version)" (*)
kanku sho [shoh] -- "observing the sky/emptiness, lesser (version)" (*)
jutte / jitte -- "ten hands"
hangetsu -- "half moon"
nijuushiho -- "twenty-four steps"
gankaku -- "boulder crane" (the bird on a rock)
sochin [soh-chin] -- "strength and control"
unsu [unsuu] -- "cloud hands"
gojuushiho (dai) -- "fifty-four steps, greater (version)" (*)
gojuushiho sho [shoh] -- "fifty-four steps, lesser (version)" (*)
meikyo [meikyoh] -- "bright mirror"
ji'in -- "compassion and shadow." Possibly another temple.
chinte -- "rare hands"
wankan -- "king's crown"
(*) Kata with "lesser" or "greater" attached ("sho" or "dai") don't really mean "lesser" or "greater"
in any sense. It's just a way of distinguishing two different kata.
Kumite
kumite -- sparring
(kihon) gohon kumite -- (basic) five-step sparring
(kihon) sanbon kumite -- (basic) three-step sparring
(kihon) ippon kumite -- (basic) one-step sparring
jiyuu ippon kumite -- semi-free one-step sparring
(jiyuu) kumite -- free sparring
Other Terms
kihon -- basic(s)
ki-ai -- "spirit focus" / a focusing yell
kime -- "decision" / focus
rei -- bow
yoh-i -- "get ready" / often a command to stand in hachinoji-dachi
yame -- stop
yasume -- rest, relax
maware / mawatte -- turn
hajime -- begin
mokusoh -- "quiet meditation"
dojo [doh-joh] -- "way place," the place where you train
dojo kun -- dojo desiderata
seiza -- "proper sitting" / kneeling
sempai -- senior student
koh-hai -- junior student
Dojo Kun
hitotsu, jinkaku kansei ni tsutomurukoto.
one, to work toward completion/perfection of character.
hitotsu, makoto no michi wo mamorukoto
one, to protect the path of truth.
hitotsu, doryoku no seishin wo yashinaukoto.
one, to nurture a spirit of hard work.
hitotsu, reigi wo omonzurukoto.
one, to give weight to courtesy and respect.
hitotsu, kekki no yuu wo imashimurukoto.
one, to reign in impetuousness.
The language is archaic Japanese and doesn't do too well under direct translation. In the United
States, these are generally translated as follows:
Seek perfection of character.
Be faithful.
Endeavor.
Respect others.
Refrain from violent behavior.
Pronunciation
All vowels are short and pronounced as follows:
"a" as in "father"
"i" as in "teen" except shorter
"u" as in "boot" except shorter
"e" as in "bet"
"o" as in "boat" except shorter and without the off-glide
Longer vowel sounds are the same sounds as above, but given more time.
"aa," a longer "a"
"ii," a longer "i"
"uu," a longer "u"
"ei," a longer "e"
"oh," a longer "o"
Except for the above, if you see two or more vowels in a row, they are each pronounced clearly
without becoming a single diphthong. An apostrophe is used where a glottal stop occurs (like
between the "n" and the second "a" when pronouncing "an apple").
Consonants always take their "hard" sounds. So "gi" is pronounced with a hard "g" (i.e., not
"ji"). "Ch" is always as in "cheese."
The hyphens don't mean anything but serve to distinguish separate syllables when it might be
ambiguous, or to separate a word into two semantic parts. There shouldn't be a pause for
hyphens.
Parentheses are used whenever a word might be omitted by some people, or if the translation
could mean more than one thing. For example, "nukite," literally only means "spear hand," which
is just the name of the "weapon" you form with your hand, but it is also often used to mean the
attack, "spear-hand thrust." So "thrust" is in parentheses.
Quotation marks are used on the English side to distinguish between literal translations of the
Japanese terms from their more figurative meanings (quotes indicate literal translation).
Numbers
1-ichi 2-ni 3-san 4-shi 5-go 6-roku 7-shichi
8-hachi 9-ku 10-juu
When counting for class, just pronounce the first syllable of bisyllabic numbers (i.e., ich, rok,
shich, hach), for shorter, sharper counting.
Stances
hachinoji-dachi -- ready stance
zenkutsu-dachi -- front stance
koh-kutsu-dachi -- back stance
kiba-dachi -- horse stance / saddle stance
neko-dachi -- cat stance
sochin-dachi / fudoh-dachi -- sochin stance / "immovable" stance
sanchin-dachi -- "hourglass" stance
hangetsu-dachi -- "half moon" stance
Arm Attacks
tsuki -- punch
oi-zuki -- lunge punch
gyaku-zuki -- reverse punch
kizami-zuki -- jab punch
nukite -- spear-hand (thrust)
ura-ken -- back hand (strike)
empi -- elbow (strike)
Leg Attacks
keri -- kick
mae-geri -- front (snap) kick
mawashi-geri -- round house kick
(yoko-geri) kekomi -- side thrust kick
(yoko-geri) keage -- side snap kick
ushiro-geri -- back (thrust) kick
Levels of Attack
joh-dan -- "upper level" / face
chudan- “middle level”/chest
gedan -- "lower level" / groin
Blocks
age-uke -- rising block
ude-uke -- "arm block", often used to mean outside block
soto-uke -- outside block (see above)
uchi-uke -- inside block
gedan barai -- down block / "lower level sweep"
shuto-uke -- knife-hand block
nagashi-uke -- "flushing block" / deflecting block
kakiwake-uke -- two-handed "separating" block
juji-uke -- two-handed "cross" block
Kata
Translations are approximate transliterations of the Chinese characters used to "spell" the kata
names.
kata -- form(s)
heian shodan -- "stable and secure / stable peace, first level"
heian nidan -- ditto, "second level"
heian sandan -- ditto, "third level"
heian yondan -- you get the idea
heian godan
tekki shodan -- "iron horseman," "first level"
tekki nidan
tekki sandan
bassai dai -- "destroying a fortress, greater (version)" (*)
bassai sho [shoh] -- "destroying a fortress, lesser (version)" (*)
empi -- "flight of the swallow"
jion -- "compassion and favor." This is a Buddhist term and possibly the name of some temple.
kanku dai -- "observing the sky/emptiness, greater (version)" (*)
kanku sho [shoh] -- "observing the sky/emptiness, lesser (version)" (*)
jutte / jitte -- "ten hands"
hangetsu -- "half moon"
nijuushiho -- "twenty-four steps"
gankaku -- "boulder crane" (the bird on a rock)
sochin [soh-chin] -- "strength and control"
unsu [unsuu] -- "cloud hands"
gojuushiho (dai) -- "fifty-four steps, greater (version)" (*)
gojuushiho sho [shoh] -- "fifty-four steps, lesser (version)" (*)
meikyo [meikyoh] -- "bright mirror"
ji'in -- "compassion and shadow." Possibly another temple.
chinte -- "rare hands"
wankan -- "king's crown"
(*) Kata with "lesser" or "greater" attached ("sho" or "dai") don't really mean "lesser" or "greater"
in any sense. It's just a way of distinguishing two different kata.
Kumite
kumite -- sparring
(kihon) gohon kumite -- (basic) five-step sparring
(kihon) sanbon kumite -- (basic) three-step sparring
(kihon) ippon kumite -- (basic) one-step sparring
jiyuu ippon kumite -- semi-free one-step sparring
(jiyuu) kumite -- free sparring
Other Terms
kihon -- basic(s)
ki-ai -- "spirit focus" / a focusing yell
kime -- "decision" / focus
rei -- bow
yoh-i -- "get ready" / often a command to stand in hachinoji-dachi
yame -- stop
yasume -- rest, relax
maware / mawatte -- turn
hajime -- begin
mokusoh -- "quiet meditation"
dojo [doh-joh] -- "way place," the place where you train
dojo kun -- dojo desiderata
seiza -- "proper sitting" / kneeling
sempai -- senior student
koh-hai -- junior student
Dojo Kun
hitotsu, jinkaku kansei ni tsutomurukoto.
one, to work toward completion/perfection of character.
hitotsu, makoto no michi wo mamorukoto
one, to protect the path of truth.
hitotsu, doryoku no seishin wo yashinaukoto.
one, to nurture a spirit of hard work.
hitotsu, reigi wo omonzurukoto.
one, to give weight to courtesy and respect.
hitotsu, kekki no yuu wo imashimurukoto.
one, to reign in impetuousness.
The language is archaic Japanese and doesn't do too well under direct translation. In the United
States, these are generally translated as follows:
Seek perfection of character.
Be faithful.
Endeavor.
Respect others.
Refrain from violent behavior.
