GLOSSARY THE JAPANESE language relies heavily on context, leaving much to interpretation. The following definitions are relevant to karate, though they may possess broader meaning outside the martial arts. Further study will reveal some of these intricacies. Pronunciation Guide: A as in father I as in ink E as in they O as in oatmeal U as in flute AI as in eye CLASSROOM DIALOGUE Hai (hi)- Acknowledgement; yes! Hajime (ha-ji-meh)- Begin Hidari (he-dar-ee)- Left Hikite (he-key-tay)- Pulling hand Kamae (kay-my)- Fighting or guarding posture Kata (kah-tah)- Life ; a pattern of movement and technique Ki ai (key-aye)- Spirit Harmony yell adds to breath and focus to technique Jiyu kumite (jee-oo-koo-me-teh) Freestyle sparring Ki o tsuke (key-o-tsu-kay)- Attention! Kiritsu (key-rhee-tsu)- Stand! Matte (mah-tay)- Stop! Mawatte (ma-wa-teh)- Turn around (180 )! Migi (mee-ghee)- Right Mokuso (moh-koo-soh)- Meditation; the command to meditate Naorei (no-ray)- Return to attention and bow Otagai ni rei (o-tah-guy-nee-rey)- Class bowing to show courtesy to each other
Rei (rey)- Bow Seiretsu (say-rey-tsu)- [Line Up] Prepare to bow Seiza (say-za)- Kneel Senpai (sen-pie)- Senior also sempai Sensei (sen-say)- One who has been born before ; teacher Sensei ni rei (sen-say-nee-rey)- Class bowing to show courtesy to teacher Yame (ya-may)- Stop Yoi (yo-e)- Prepare Counting 1-10 in Japanese (Include dan ranking Japanese in Advanced) Ichi Ni San Shi Go Roku Shichi Hachi Ku Ju TRAINING TERMINOLOGY Aihanmi - Open stance toward training partner Budo (boo-doh)- The way of the warrior Bunkai (bun-kye)- Analysis, breakdown; often referring to the application of kata Bushido (boo-shee-doh)- Warrior code Chudan (chew-dan)- Middle level Dan (da-n)- Black belt ranking Do (doh)- Way, indicates a path to be followed in life Dojo (doh-joh)- Place where we study the way/place of learning Domo Arigato Gozaimashita (doh-moe-ah-rhee-gah-toh-go-zai-ma-shee-tah)- Thank you very much for everything
Gedan (gay-dan)- Low level Gi (ghee)- Training uniform Gyakuhanmai (gya-koo-zoo-key-1ha-n-may)- Reversed, or closed stance Hiji (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Elbow Jodan (joh-dan)- High level Jokenzuke (jo-ken-zoo-keh*)- Conditioning Judo (joo-doh)- Gentle way ; a school of martial arts utilizing throws and takedowns Jujutsu (joo-joo-tsu)- Gentle technique ; a traditional Japanese art with various schools Kanji (kah-n-jee)- Japanese writing where each symbol represents a concept Karate (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Originally Chinese hand ; also, empty hand Karate-do (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- The way of the empty hand Karate-ka (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Karate student Kenjutsu (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Sword technique Kette (ket-eh)- Add kick to kihon waza Ki (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- The energy of being; liken to chi in Chinese, prana in Sanskrit, spirit in Native culture. The bioelectric force some believe flows through the body. Some say it is your spirit or intention. Kihon (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Basic or standard Kohai (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Junior Kokoro (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Heart; Mind; Spirit; all of the above Koshi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Pelvic area (hips) Kumite (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Sparring Kuro obi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Black belt Kyu (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Rank under black belt Mae (sdfsd)- Front Mudansha (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Kyu ranks Mushin (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- No mind. State of mind with no conscious thought. Obi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Belt
Pinan- Peace and tranquility ; series of 5 kata used throughout Karate-do Reigi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Courtesy Shindo Yoshin Ryu (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- New Willow Heart Style, an old school Japanese martial art Wado (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- The way of harmony Wado ryu (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- The school of Wado Waza (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Technique Yudansha (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Students holding black belt rank Zanshin (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Awareness; the mind that remains Zarei (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Kneeling bow Zuki (sfskdj)- From tsuki meaning punch or thrust. WADO CONCEPTS Chinshin - Dropping body Inasu - Change direction of attack Irimi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Entering Kuzushi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Off-balancing Maai (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Combative distance Meotote (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- husband/wife hand Nagashi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Sweeping Tai sabaki (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Body management Torre (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Attacker Uke (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Receiver, defender, or block Ukemi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Act of receiving; break fall
TECHNICAL TERMINOLOGY Tsuki waza Punching Techniques Awasezuki (ah-wah-say-zoo-key)- U punch Gyakuzuki (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee) - Reverse hand punch Gyakuzuki no tsukkomi (sdlf)- Reverse hand lunge punch Junzuki (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Forward punch Junzuki no tsukkomi (sdlf)- Front hand lunge punch Kagizuki (sdlf)- Hook punch Kozaimazuki - Front hand jab Nagashizuki (sdlf)- Off-line sweeping punch Seikenzuki (sdlf)- Punch with the fist Tatezuki (sdlf)- Vertical fist punch Tobikomizuki (sdlf)- Jumping lunge punch Tsuki (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Thrust, or to punch Urazuki (sdlf)- Inverted punch Yamazuki (sdlf)- Mountain punch similar to Awasezuki Keri waza Kicking Techniques Ashibarai (sdlf)- Foot sweep Fumikomigeri (sdlf)- Stomping kick Hizageri (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Knee kick Kakato (sdlf)- Heel of the foot Keage (sdlf)- Snap Kingeri (sdlf)- Groin kick made with the top of the foot Maegeri (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Front kick Maetobigeri (sdlf)- Flying or jumping front kick
Mawashigeri (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Circular kick; roundhouse kick Mikazukigeri (sdlf)- Crescent kick made from the outside to the inside using the sole of the foot Namigaeshi (sdlf)- Returning wave kick as found in Naihanchi kata Nidangeri (nee-don-gair-ee)- Double kick Sokuto (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Knife edge of foot Soto mikazukigeri (sdlf)- Outside crescent kick using side of foot, moving inside to outside Ura mawashigeri (sfdh)- Hook kick Ushirogeri (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Rear kick Yokogeri (sdlf)- Side kick Uke waza Blocking Techniques Chudan uke- Mid level block Gedan barai (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Lower level sweep Gedan uke - Low level block Heishuuke (sdlf)- Back hand block Hijiuke (sdlf)- Elbow block Jodanuke (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Upper level receiving/block Jujiuke (sdlf)- Cross block or x block Kakeuke (sdlf)- Hook block Nagashiuke (sdlf)- Sweeping block or slip block Osaeuke (o-say-oo-keh) - Press block made by softly pressing down with the palm or back of the open hand. Otoshiuke (sdlf)- Dropping block made by throwing the arm down on top of the attack Shutouke (sdlf)- Knife hand block Sotouke (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- outside receiving, or outside block Uchiuke (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Inside receiving, or inside block Tachi waza Stance Techniques Chintodachi (jfsdl)- Chinto stance
Dachi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Stance Gyaku nekoashidachi (skdlfjs)- Reverse cat stance Gyakuzuki tsukkomidachi (dslkfjd)- Reverse lunge punch stance Gyakuzukidachi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Reverse punch stance Hachijidachi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Ready stance Hanmi nekoashidachi (sdlfjs)- Half side-facing cat stance Hanshikodachi- Half horse stance Heikodachi- Parallel stance Heisokudachi- Closed-toe stance Jigotai dachi- Wide parallel stance Junzukidachi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Forward punch stance Kibadachi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Horse rider stance Kokutsudachi (sfs)- Back stance Kosadachi - Crossing stance Mahanmi nekoashidachi (sdlkfj)- Full side-facing cat stance Musubi dachi (slfds) - Attention stance Naihanchi dachi (sdlfkjs)- Naihanchi stance Ryoashi tsumasakidachi - Stand on toes with both heels raised Sagiashidachi- Crane stance Shikodachi (sdlkdfj)- Open horse stance Shizentai (lskdfj)- Natural stance Shomen (mami) nekoashidachi (skdfs)- Front-facing cat stance Tate seisandachi (sldkf)- Vertical seisan stance Tsumasaki dachi - Stand on toes with back heel raised; the drop in kusanku Yoko seisandachi (dslkdjf)- Sideways seisan stance Uchi waza Striking Techniques Age Empi Uchi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee) - Rising elbow strike
Empi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee) - Elbow strike Haisho (sdlf)- Back hand strike Haito (hi-toh)- Ridge hand Hasamuiuchi (sdlf)- Scissor strike Ippon ken (sdlf)- Strike made with index knuckle protruding Ippon nukite (sdlf)- One finger strike Kagizuki- Hook punch Kiuteki- Groin rip Nakadaka ippon ken (sdlf)- Strike made with middle knuckle Oyayubi ippon ken (sdlf)- Strike with thumb Shuto (sdlf)- Knife hand strike Tate ken- Vertical punch Teisho/Shotei (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Palm heal strike Tetsui (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Hammer fist strike Uchi (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Strike Uraken (ah-geh-en-pee-oo-chee)- Back fist Yohan nukite (sdlf)- Four finger spear hand strike