JAPANESE - ENGLISH TRANSLATION
There is a convention that Japanese is the international language of Karate. All traditional clubs teach Karate techniques in Japanese and competitions, courses and grading examinations are also in Japanese. This has the added bonus that wherever you train in the world the instructors/students speak the same language.Though daunting at first, there are only a few key words that the average Karateka need to know which are listed below. The translation sheet is a reference point, a guide to key words... not a Japanese dictionary.
DO NOT try to memorize the words, but rather use them in your regular training. Try not to think of a KIN GERI as a 'groin kick', but attach the label KIN GERI to a specific kicking movement in the same way that you would attach the label MONDEO to a specific model of car. As you come across these words individually and in combinations you will soon learn their meanings, and it won't be long before ARUKU HIDARI ZEN KUTSU DACHI CHUDAN ZUKI galvanizes you into action without having to work out what each solitary word means.
DO NOT try to memorize the words, but rather use them in your regular training. Try not to think of a KIN GERI as a 'groin kick', but attach the label KIN GERI to a specific kicking movement in the same way that you would attach the label MONDEO to a specific model of car. As you come across these words individually and in combinations you will soon learn their meanings, and it won't be long before ARUKU HIDARI ZEN KUTSU DACHI CHUDAN ZUKI galvanizes you into action without having to work out what each solitary word means.
GENERAL |
|||
SENSEI | TEACHER | BARAI | SWEEPING |
SEMPAI | SENIOR | RENRAKU | COMBINATION |
DOJO | TRAINING HALL | WAZA | WAY/TECHNIQUE |
REI | BOW | ARUKU | FULL STEP |
... NI REI | BOW TO... | SURIKOMI | HALF STEP |
SEIZA | KNEEL | ZANSHIN | FOCUS |
KIRITSU | STAND | MOHKSO | MEDITATION |
HADJIME | START | CHUSOKO | BALL OF FOOT |
YAME | STOP | HAISOKU | INSTEP |
YASME | RELAX | IPPON | SINGLE (POINT) |
JODAN | UPPER LEVEL | NIHON | DOUBLE (POINT) |
CHUDAN | MID LEVEL | JIYU | FREESTYLE |
GEDAN | LOWER LEVEL | KUMITE | FIGHTING |
MAWATTE | TURN | MAWASHI | (A)ROUND |
MARUI | ROUND THE BACK | CHOKU | DIRECT |
HIDARI | LEFT | SAKOTSU | DESCENDING |
MIGI | RIGHT | KEAGE | RISING |
GYAKU | BACK/REVERSE | KEKOME | THRUSTING |
KIAI | SHOUT | FUMIKOMI | STAMPING |
VOWELS |
|||
A | ah | E | ay |
I | ee | O | oh |
U | oo | ||
DACHI - STANCE |
|||
YOI | READY | NEKO ASHI | CAT FOOT |
MASUBI | OPEN TOED | KOKUTSU | BACK LEANING |
ZENKUTSU | FRONT LEANING | KIBA | STRADDLE |
HANMI GAMAE | FIGHTING | SHIKO | SUMO |
UCHI HACHI | IN AND OUT | KAKA | KNEELING |
SANSHIN | HOUR GLASS | OSAI | PRESSING |
|
|||
ZUKI - PUNCH |
|||
GYAKU | REVERSE | KIZAMI | SNAP |
URA | BACK | SHITA | CLOSE QUARTER |
TOBI KOMI | JUMPING | NAGASHI | SIDE STEPPING |
|
|||
GERI - KICK |
|||
KIN | GROIN | MAE | FRONT |
YOKO | SIDE | HIZA | KNEE |
MAWASHI | ROUNDHOUSE | KAKATO | HEEL |
URA MAWASHI | HOOK | TOBI | JUMPING/FLYING |
USHIRO | BACK | MIKAZUKI | CRESCENT |
|
|||
UCHI - STRIKE |
|||
SHUTO | KNIFE HAND | HAITO | RIDGE HAND |
SEIKEN | FOREFIST | URAKEN | BACK FIST |
NUKITE | SPEAR HAND | TEISHO | PALM HEEL |
EMPI | ELBOW | TETTSUI | HAMMERFIST |
|
|||
UKE - BLOCK |
|||
SOTO | OUTER | SOTO HARAI | OUTER SWEEP |
UCHI | STRIKING | UCHI HARAI | STRIKING SWEEP |
HAISHU | BACK HAND | UDE BARAI | FOREARM SWEEP |
TENSHO | GRABBING | KAKATO | HEEL |
AGE | RISING | EMPI | ELBOW |
|
|||
NUMBERS |
|||
ICHI |
ONE |
ROKU |
SIX |
NI |
TWO |
SICHI |
SEVEN |
SAN |
THREE |
HACHI |
EIGHT |
CHI or YON |
FOUR |
KU |
NINE |
GO |
FIVE |
JU |
TEN |