General terms

• Karate - empty hand
• JKA - Japan Karate Association
• Dojo - training room
• Oss - "the ultimate word" - Thank you, please, I understand, sorry, greeting etc.
• Gi - karate uniform
• Sensei - Instructor
• Sempai - one's senior
• Rei - salutation, thanks
• Sensei ni rei - salutation to the master
• Otagai ni rei - salutation to each other
• Mawatte - turn
• Kiai - shout
• Yoi - prepare, attention, get ready
• Yame - stop
• Hajime - start, begin
• Naore - recover, return to normal

Punching techniques

• Oi zuki - lunge punch (stepping)
• Gyaku zuki - reverse punch
• Kizami zuki - jab punch
• Choku zuki - Straight punch
• Tate zuki - "vertical punch"
• Ura zuki - reverse side punch (uppercut)
• Kage zuki - hook punch
• Teisho zuki - palm heel punch
• Uraken uchi - backfist strike

Blocking techniques

• Geden barai - downward block
• Age-uke - rising block
• Soto uke - forearm block (outside inward)
• Uchi uke - forearm block (inside outwards)
• Shuto uke - sword hand block
• Kakiwake uke - push aside / reverse wedge
• Juji uke - "X - block"

Kicking techniques

• Mai geri - front kick
• Yoko geri - side kick, kekomi - thrust, keage - snap
• Mawashi geri - roundhouse kick
• Ushiro geri - back kick
• Hiza geri - knee kick
• Mikazuki geri - cresent kick

Movement

• Suri ashi - slip step
• Yori ashi - shifting slide
• Tai sabaki - pivoting to the side

Counting

• ichi
• ni
• san
• shi
• go
• roku
• shichi
• hachi
• ku
• ju

 

Elements of karate training

• Kihon - basic training
• Kata - form (set sequence)
• Kumite - sparring

 

Different levels and directions

• Jodan - upper level (face area)
• Chudan - middle level (chest & stomach area)
• Gedan - lower level (below the belt)
• Hidari - left
• Migi - right
• Mae - forwards
• Yoko - sideways
• Ushiro - backwards
• Shomen - front (square body)
• Hanmi - "half body" (45 degree body)
• Gyaku hanmi - "reverse half body"

 

Stances

• Heisoku dachi - feet together stance
• Musubi dachi - heels together toes out (to bow)
• Heiko dachi - parallel stance
• Zenkutsu dachi - front stance
• Kokutsu dachi - back stance
• Kiba dachi - horse/straddle stance
• Fudo / sochin dachi - immovable stance
• Kosa dachi - cross legged stance
• Re no ji dachi - "L stance"
• Tei no ji dachi - "T stance"