Karate Terminology
Understanding Japanese terminology can present a problem for beginners and experience karateka (Karate Practitioner). Here is a selection of translations to help improve your understanding.
Stances & Movements |
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Body Positioning |
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Japanese |
English translation |
Japanese |
English translation |
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Dachi |
Stance |
Kamae |
Ready |
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Yoi dachi |
Natural stance |
Shomen ni |
Full body facing |
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Zenkutsu dachi |
Front stance |
Hanmi |
Half body facing |
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Kokutsu dachi |
Back stance |
Irimi |
Turned through 90º |
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Kiba dachi |
Straddle stance |
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Fudo dachi |
Immovable stance |
Hand techniques |
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Zuki |
Punch |
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Leg techniques |
Choku zuki |
Straight punch |
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Geri |
Kick |
Oi zuki |
Stepping punch |
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Mae geri |
Front kick |
Gyaku zuki |
Reverse punch |
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Yoko geri |
Side kick |
Tate zuki |
Vertical fist |
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Mawashi geri |
Round house kick |
Ura zuki |
Close punch |
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Ushiro geri |
Back kick |
Mawashi zuki |
Round house punch |
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Ura mawashi geri |
Hook kick |
Jun zuki |
Lunge punch |
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Ushiro mawashi geri |
Spinning back kick |
Kagi zuki |
Hook punch |
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Fumikomi geri |
Stamping kick |
Age zuki |
Rising punch |
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Tobi geri |
Jumping kick |
Kizami zuki |
Front hand punch |
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Ren geri |
Combination kicking |
Morote zuki |
Double hand punch |
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Blocking |
Hand & feet striking
points |
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Uke |
Block |
Ippon nukite |
One fingered strike |
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Age uke |
Rising block |
Nihon nukite |
Two fingered strike |
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Soto uke |
Outside block |
Shuto |
Knife hand strike |
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Uchi ude uke |
Inside block |
Tetsui |
Hammer fist |
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Gedan barai |
Downward block |
Teisho |
Outside edge strike |
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Shuto uke |
Knife hand block |
Tatai shuto |
Palm heal strike |
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Atoshi uke |
Descending block |
Sokuto |
Knife edge of foot |
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Nagashi uke |
Flowing block |
Kakato |
Heal strike |
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Koshi |
Ball of foot |
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Regions of the body |
Hiza geri |
Knee strike |
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Jodan |
Face |
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Chudan |
Stomach |
Forms of karate
sparring |
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Gedan |
Groin |
Ippon kumite |
One step basic |
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Sanbon kumite |
Three step basic |
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Form |
Gohon kumite |
Five step basic |
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Kata |
Basic form |
Jiyu ippon |
One free attack |
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Kihon |
Basic movements |
Jiyu kumite |
Open/free fighting |
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Kumite |
Sparring |
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