Basic Terminology
teacher: sensei
senior student: senpai
karate practitioner: karateka
the way of the the empty hand: karate do
training hall: dojo
uniform: gi
belt: obi
high area (head, face): jodan
middle area (chest, stomach): chudan
lower area (waist or below): gedan
foot: ashi
hand: te
begin: hajime
stop: yame
spirited yell: kiai
attention: kiyotsuke
ready: yoi
respect/bow: rei
turn around: mawate
kneel: seiza
front wall: shomen
meditate: mokuso
yes/I understand/spirited affirmation: oss!
Basic Techniques
Stances
stance: dachi
ready stance: heiko dachi
bowing stance: musubi dachi
front stance: zenkutso dachi
back stance: kokutsu dachi
horse riding stance: kiba dachi
square stance: shiko dachi
cat stance: neko ashi dachi
Blocks
low block: gedan barai
face block: age uke
outer block: uchi uke
inner block: soto uke
knife hand block: shuto uke
Strikes
punch: zuki
lead punch, jab: kisami zuki, oi zuki
reverse punch, cross: gyaku zuki
spear hand strike: nukite
pulling hand: hiki te
kicks
foot sweep: ashi barai
front kick: mae geri
roundhouse kick: mawashi geri
thrusting side kick: yoko geri kikome
snapping side kick: yoko geri kaege
hook kick: udo mawashi geri
back kick: ushiro geri
crescent kick: mikazuki geri
Advanced Terminology
Shotokan: pine waves hall
school or style: ryu
please help/teach me: onegaishimasu
thank you very much: arigato gozai mashita
one more time: mo ichi do
foot: ashi
hand: te
application/analysis of kata: bunkai
advanced application of kata: oyo
switch sides: kaete
combative/guarding posture: kamae
projecting focus and energy to one point: kime
junior student: kohai
senior student: senpai
sparring: kumite
punching board: makiwara
lead side: kizami
right: migi
left: hidari
back/rear: ushiro
tai sabaki: body shifting
break fall: ukemi
continuing mind and body: zanshin
Advanced techniques
Stances
rooted stance: fudo dachi
natural stance: hachiji dachi
half-moon stance: hangetsu dachi
half front stance: han zenkutsu dachi
feet together stance: heisoku dachi
cross legged stance: kosa dachi
hour glass stance: sanchin dachi
Blocks
chest block: chudan uke
low block: gedan uke
pulling/grasping block: hiki uke
double-armed wedge block: kakiwake uke
x block: juji uke
wrist block: ko uke
crossing low/outer block combo: kosa uke
low/face block combo: manji uke:
reinforced arm block: morote uke
shin block: sume uke
palm block: teisho uke
mountain block: yama uke
strikes
rising punch: age zuki
two handed double punch, low & high: awase zuki
chest punch: chudan zuki
elbow strike: enpi uchi
low punch: gedan zuki
ridge hand strike: haito uchi
face punch: jodan zuki
hook punch: kagi zuke
fist: ken
rising punch: kentsui uchi
lead punch, jab: kizami zuki
two consecutive punches: niren zuki
three consecutive punches: sanbon zuki
fore fist: seiken
knife hand strike: shuto uchi
palm heel strike: teisho uchi
back fist strike: uraken uchi
kicks
foot: ashi
foot sweep: ashi barai
stomping kick: fumikomi
knee strike: hiza geri
inside reverse round kick: jyaku mawashi geri
snapping: keage
thrusting: kekome
mikazuki geri: crescent kick
lead leg: myashi
jump kick: tobi geri
hook kick: udo or uro mawashi geri
back kick: ushiro geri
Sparring terminology
free sparring: jiyu kumite
three point free sparring: jiyu sanbon
one step sparring: kihon ippon
slow, free, cooperative sparring: ma hoo randori
initiative: sen
seizing the initiative later: go no sen
seizing the initiative simultaneously: sen no sen
seizing the initiative preemptively: sen sen no sen
begin: hajime
stop: yame
draw/tie: hikiwake
match: shobu
no point awarded: torimasen
continue: tsuzukete
half point: waza-ari
full point: ippon
simultaneous techniques: aiuchi
referee/judge: shinpan
red: aka
red is the winner: aka, no kachi
white: shiro
white is the winner: shiro no kachi
Katas and their names' meanings
Beginner Katas
Taikyoku Shodan: First Cause
Kihon Kata Ichi: Basic Kata number 1 (the same as Taikyoku Shodan)
Kihon Kata Ni: Basic Kata Number 2 (Taikyoku Shodan with a faceblock substituted for the low block)
Kihon Kata San: Basic Kata Number 3 (substitute an outer block)
Kihon Kata Yon: Basic Kata Number 4 (low block, outer block with same hand then step punch)
Kihon Kata Go: Basic Kata Number 5 (face block, front kick punch. All punches become kick, punch)
Heian Katas
Heian Shodan: Peaceful Mind First (or #1)
Heian Nidan: Peaceful Mind Second (or #2)
Heian Sandan: Peaceful Mind Third (or #3)
Heian Yondan: Peaceful Mind Fourth (or #4)
Heian Godan: Peaceful Mind Fifth (or #5)
Tekki Katas
Tekki Shodan: Horse Riding First (or #1)
Tekki Nidan: Horse Riding Second (or #2)
Tekki Sandan: Horse Riding Third (or #3)
Advanced Katas
Bassai Dai: To Penetrate a Fortress (big or greater)
Jion: Jion Temple in China, a Buddhist term meaning love or goodness
Enpi/Empi: Flying Swallow
Kanku Dai: Look at the Sky (big or greater)
Hangetsu: Half Moon Gankaku: Crane on a Rock
Jitte: Ten Hands Bassai Sho: To Penetrate a Fortress (small or lesser)
Kanku Sho: Look at the Sky (small or lesser)
Nijushiho: Twenty Four Steps Sochin: Strength/Calm
Meikyo: Bright Mirror Ji’in: Temple Grounds or Love
Wankan: King’s Crown
Chinte: Rare Hands, or Unusual Hands
Gojushiho Sho: Fifty Four Directions, lesser
Gojushiho Dai: Fifty Four Directions, greater
Unsu: Hands in the Clouds or Cloud Hands