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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.
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
|
Domo arigato, gosai masu
- Thank you!
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