Ashi (ah-she)- foot and/or leg. There are kickboxing and full-contact forms of kumite amongst others, and it can be practiced as free sparring or as structured kumite. This is known as a front snap kick. Gan or Gansei or Me. GI (gee): The Karate uniform. It is a form of full contact, stand-up karate and has approximately 12 million practitioners worldwide. Practitioners must master kihon in order to reach an advanced level, and it also helps karateka show the correct attitude and spirit at all times. It is differentiated from tachi, which means stance. This is occasionally called a straddle stance and involves keeping both feet wide and parallel, with a person’s weight kept low and central. Kaeshi – ippon. The karate style used dictates whether the front leg should be straight or slightly bent. Ears. BASIC TERMS Back to Table of Contents. Left-right Sweeping Block), Proper Fist, Straight Fist, (Front 2 Knuckle Punch), Double Knife-hand Strike (to the chest area), Augmented Knife-hand Strike (to the chest area), Crescent Kick (lit. Okuri Jiyu-ippon Kumite. Morote-nuki-zuki:. Age (ah-gay)- rising. This simply means “right”. Japanese words that begin with “K” often change the k sound to g when the word follows others in a compound, i.e. The formal gathering place for students of martial arts such as judo or karate. Tachikata (Stances). The following terms are not exclusive to karate. kiba-dachi. Wado karate is a Japanese Martial Art which uses Japanese words and phrases. Kin-ryokuPhysical (muscle) power. KohaiJunior. It means “low-level sweep” and is one of the first techniques learned by karateka. Although pine wood and bamboo are sometimes used, hardwood such as red or white oak is the favored material for a bo staff. While tachi refers to the body’s position from the waist down, kamae refers to the entire body’s posture and is said to encompass a practitioner’s attitude. Ate (ah-tay)- smash. Anza (ah-n-zah)- cross leg sitting. This is a weapon used by some karate practitioners; it is a stick with a perpendicular handle attached one-third of the way down. An upward or rising block used to deflect an attack to the upper part of the body. It is capable of delivering a blow of great force because it combines the thrusting motion of the leg with the power of the hips. Sources: Compiled by Sensei Michael Scaramozzino. This is known as “the way of the sword” and involves the use of bamboo swords and protective armor. For a limited time, new Sandoval Freestyle Karate students can attend their first class absolutely free. The name given to someone who practices karate. – Mr. Sandoval. Our mission is to encourage people to live a healthier, safe, and prosperous life through martial arts training. Belts above 6th dan are normally classified as “honorary”. This is a weapon originally used by martial artists in Okinawa and comes in pairs. Open Natural Stance (feet point outward (外) at same angle as character for eight, Front-leg-bent Stance (lit. This word refers to posture in karate. Advanced karateka will use a spinning variation of this kick, and the end result can be an exceptionally powerful kick. Kyokushin Karate is practiced throughout the world by 10+ million people in over 140 countries by students that speak many different languages. This is an outside block that deflects a strike across the attacker and away from the defender. The Japanese term means "to meditate" but in martial arts it is used in a less "trascendental" way. Uke. In karate, there are three heights when it comes to striking, and chudan refers to strikes to an opponent’s mid-section. Typically, they will wear a white obi if they are a beginner while a black obi wearer is deemed to have significant skill. Karate Terminology If a karateka learns the japanese karate terminology, (s)he will be able to enter any karate dojo in the world and able to understand and workout . It is a pointed metal baton with a pair of yoku (curved prongs) protruding from the handle. It was adopted in 1924 by Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan Karate. Start studying Goju Ryu karate terminology. It means “person born before another” and is a title used as a mark of respect. Its maximum length is about 20 inches, and it is usually made from red or white oak and is used as a pair. They appear during its study and practice, varying depending on style and school. Basic Techniques and Terminology in Okinawan Karate. While we often forget, we are at times reminded that our native language is not universal. Uraken-uchi . in GōjÅ«ryÅ« Karate, the nuances and meanings behind the original Japanese terms, and to aid your correct pronunciation of the Japanese terms. Its literal meaning is “empty hand”, and it is a martial art originally developed in Okinawa’s Ryukyu Islands. Chudan-zuki:. Read more. All rights reserved. This list of terms includes almost all the Japanese words we use in the dojo and some that we don’t, in transliterated Japanese. It can also be a word used to describe fighting spirit. It literally translates to “remaining mind”. A reverse punch where the non-lead hand is used. July 17, 2018 | Karate Terminology, Training. It is practiced as self-defense training and as a sport in its own right. Gichen Funakoshi was an Okinawan who introduced the martial art of “te” to the mainland of Japan. tying-together Stance), Slanted Front-leg-bent Stance (lit. Use the Dojo Vocabulary and Terminology list to help learn many of the terms used during Karate classes. If you use any information from this page we would greatly appreciate a link back to this page. The Japanese character for "BU" (martial) is derived from characters meaning "stop" and (a weapon like a) "halberd." This is generally deemed to be a respectful greeting or the understanding of a command given by a sensei. Kaku-zuki . It is considered to be the most influential and traditional form of karate because it is now the most practiced. This is the common name for a karate teacher. Karate punching techniques. Special thanks to Sempai Vinny Miccio for feedback and corrections. In karate, there is a snap kick (kaege) and a thrust kick (kekomi). This refers to a lower-body strike in karate. Adapted from the Tadley Wado Kai Website Terminology Page Welcome to Sandoval Freestyle Karate’s karate glossary, where we’ve listed the most common karate terminology one will encounter. An obi is part of a Japanese martial arts exercise outfit and is basically a belt made from thick cotton. For example, a right forward stance would be migi zenkutsu dachi. Kamae-te is an instruction given by a sensei to his students. Gyaku-zuki:. Japanese Numbers: 1 – ICHI 6 – ROKU 2 – NI 7 – SHICHI / NANA 3 – SAN 8 – HACHI 4 – SHI / YON 9 – KU 5 – GO 10 – JU Glossary of Terms Age (ah-gey)- rising. This is a good method of blocking for those seeking a counter attack. Some of these terms are used at the Academy of Traditional Karate, though many more are included for reference. Relates to a series of karate throwing techniques; the aim is to successfully throw an opponent to the ground. Sensei will turn and face the front, Sensei and students bow as a sign of respect for the Dojo (School / Place of training). The typical pronunciations and English meanings are given, along with a kanji representation where available. It comes from the Japanese verb kimeru, which means “to decide”. Few karateka ever reach this level. He learned the art in his homeland of Okinawa, where it was known by various names, usually based on the style or school of the headmaster or location. We believe martial arts is not just an activity but a lifestyle. The Essence of Okinawan Karate-do by Shoshin Nagamine, Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia), Karate Terminology 101, Japanese Words We Use – Karate terminology – language – glossary, Ju-Jitsu International Federation (JJIF) Basic Terminology, Sports Definitions, Karate Referee Terms, The Japanese Pronunciation Guide – The Anime Cafe, Learn on Kanji a day with infographic, Jim Breen’s WWWJDIC Japanese-English Dictionary, Google Translate, Babelfish, Jisho.org, Additional web sources that no longer exist have been removed. It is also traditional to bow to an opponent before and after combat. This simply means “left” in karate. Its literal meaning is “military scholar road”. The Japanese terms are used in all Karate dojos all over the world. This page is a glossary where you find a collection of generic terms that occur in a variety of contexts in Karate. A general martial arts term rather than being strictly a karate one. A back stance that involves bending the rear leg strongly at the knee. If you cannot find the term you’re looking for or would like to learn more, please contact us today! Stepping punch. To find more books about Karate Terminology In Japanese, you can use related keywords, for examples : Karate Terminology In Japanese, mas oyama karate and advanced karate, japanese mind understanding contemporary japanese culture, learn karate with karate, Karate Kid 4, karate, Karate Info, Karate … Karate sparring; its literal meaning is “meeting of the hands”. It has had a major influence on modern karate despite the fact that few karateka ever practice it. The name of the command used to signal the beginning of kata. The word “karate” is actually a term in Japanese – “kara” (empty) “te” (hand), meaning to fight hand-to-hand without weapons. Clear, easy-to-understand, and accurate English translations of Japanese karate terms, plus color photographs of essential karate stances, movements, and techniques, will give karate students a firm foundation in karate terminology. In karate, contact is made with the first two knuckles. Semi-freestype one-blow. "Mokuso Yame" = End Meditation. Ate (ah-teh)- smash. Twitter; Facebook; Gplus; ... in Japanese is keru. This is a generic term for the execution of consecutive kicks. KobudoWeapons arts, literally „old martial arts‟. Japanese Translation : Japanese Translation; General Terms : Dojo: Training Hall : Dojo Kun: Dojo code: Sensei: Instructor : Seiza: Kneel: Rei: Bow : Yoi: Ready: Migi: Right : Hidari: Left: Kamae-te: Move to ready position : Hajime: Start/begin: Mawatte: Turn : Yame: Finish/stop: Gi: Karate suit : Obi: Belt: Kime: Focus : Kiai: Martial shout: Kihon: Basic techniques : Kata: Formal exercises: Kumite: Sparring : Zanshin The following is a list of Japanese terms commonly used in karate training. Seiza (正座 or 正坐) – [say za] literally means “proper sitting” and is the Japanese term for one of … It is important to purchase a high-quality Gi, because an inferior-quality garment will quickly shred under the stresses of karate practice. © 2020 Sandoval Freestyle Karate, LLC. (480) 503-3788 Gilbert, Arizona (NE Corner of Higley & Ray). The correct seiza position involves a person kneeling on the floor, folding their legs underneath their hips and ensuring their heels are resting on their buttocks. © 2020 Academy of Traditional Karate ” kumite”, but ” kihon gumite”. Tsuki/Zuki:. This is a form of karate that was founded by Masutatsu Oyama in 1964. Not only do these guidelines apply within the dojo, they also apply to everyday life. This refers to kata applications being used in a demonstration with real opponents. back-ducking Stance), Heels Together Stance (lit. Front-ducking Stance), Rising Double Knife-hand Block (lit. Return 1 step sparring. KimeFocus. A listing and phonetic spelling of core punches, kicks, blocks, strikes, stances, and other general terms used in Traditional Japanese Shotokan Karate.