image of an open book

Block (Uke – pronounced “oo-kay”)

  • Age-uke (ah-geh-oo-kay): Upper block (Raising)
  • Shuto-uke (shoe-toe oo-kay): Knife-hand block
  • Uchi-uke (oo-chee oo-kay): Inside center block
  • Gedan-barai (Geh-dahn bah-rye): Down block
  • Soto-uke (so-toh oo-kay): Outside center block
  • Chudan-uke (Chew-dahn oo-kay): Middle level block
  • Jodan-uke (joe-dahn oo-kay): Upper level block
  • Gedan-uke (geh-dahn oo-kay): Lower level block
  • Hiza-uke (he-zah oo-kay): Knee block
  • Juji-uke (jew-gee oo-kay): X-block
  • Morote-uke (moe-row-the oo-kay): Augmented block
  • Nagashi-uke (nah-gah-she oo-kay) Sweeping block
  • Sashite-uke (sah-she-tay oo-kay): Rising hand block
  • Teishi-uke (tay-sho oo-kay): Palm-heel block

Punch (Zuki – pronounced “zoo-key”)

  • Age-zuki (ah-geh zoo-key): Rising punch
  • Awase-zuki (ah-wah-say zoo-key): U-punch
  • Choku-zuki (cho-koo zoo-key): Straight punch
  • Chudan-zuki (chew-dahn zoo-key): Middle area punch
  • Gyaku-zuki (gya-koo zoo-key): Reverse punch
  • Jodan-zuki (joe-dahn zoo-key): face level punch
  • Morote-zuki (moe-row-the- zoo-key): Double “U” punch
  • Oi-zuki (oh-ee zoo-key): Lunge punch
  • Tate-zuki (tah-the zoo-key): Vertical punch
  • Teisho-zuki (tay-show zoo-key): Palm-heel punch
  • Ura-zuki (oo-rah zoo-key): Close punch

Kick (Geri – pronounced “geh-rhee”)

  • Ashi-Barai (ah-she bah-rye): Foot sweep
  • Fumikomi (foo-me-koh-me): Stamping kick
  • Keage (key-ah-geh): Snap kick
  • Kekomi (kay-koh-me): Thrust kick
  • Mae-geri (mah-eh geh-rhee): Front kick
  • Mae-geri-kaege (mah-eh geh-rhee kay-ah-geh): Front snap kick
  • Mae-geri-kakomi (mah-eh geh-rhee kay-koh-me): Front thrust kick
  • Mae-tobi-geri (mah-eh toe-be geh-rhee): Jumping front kick
  • Mawashi-geri (mah-wha-she geh-rhee): Round kick
  • Ushiro-geri (oo-she row geh-rhee): Back kick
  • Yoko-geri-kaegi (yoh-koh geh-rhee key-ah-geh): Side snap kick
  • Yoko-geri-kekomi (yoh-koh geh-rhee key-ah-geh): Side thrust kick

Strike (Uchi – pronounced “oo-chee”)

  • Empi-uchi (en-pee oo-chee): Elbow strike
  • Haishu-uchi (hi-shoo oo-chee): Back hand strike
  • Haito-uchi (hi-toe oo-chee): Ridge-hand strike
  • Ippon-ken (eep-pone ken): One-knuckle fist
  • Nukite (noo-key-teh): Spear hand
  • Kentsui-uchi (ken-tsue-ee oo-chee): Hammer fist strike
  • Shuto-uchi (shoe-toe oo-chee): Knife hand strike
  • Teisho-uchi (tay-sho oo-chee): Palm hand strike
  • Uraken-uchi (oo-rah-ken oo-chee): Back fist strike

Stance (Dachi – pronounced “dah-chee”)

  • Fudo-dachi (foo-dough dah-chee) Rooted stance
  • Hachiji-dachi (hah-chee-gee dah-chee): Open leg stance
  • Hangetsu-dachi (hahn-geh-tsue dah-chee): Half-moon stance
  • Heiko-dachi (hay-koh dah-chee): Parallel stance
  • Kamae (kah-may): Sparring posture
  • Kiba-dachi (key-bah dah-chee): Side stance (horse stance)
  • Kokutsu-dachi (koe-koo-tsu dah-chee): Back stance
  • Kosa-dachi (koe-sah dah-chee): Crossed legged stance
  • Neko-ashi-dachi (neh-koh ah-she-dah-chee): Cat stance
  • Sanchin-dachi (san-chin dah-chee): Hour-glass stance
  • Shizentai (she-zen dah-chee): Natural position
  • Sochin-dachi (so-chin dah-chee): Diagonal straddle-leg stance
  • Teiji-dachi (the-gee dah-chee): T stance
  • Zenkutsu-dachi (zen-koo-tsue dah-chee): Front stance

Numbers

  • Ichi (ih-chee): One
  • Ni (nee): Two
  • San (sahn): Three
  • Shi (she): Four
  • Go (go): Five
  • Roku (roo-koo): Six
  • Shichi (Shih-chee): Seven
  • Hachi (Hah-chee): Eight
  • Ku (koo): Nine
  • Ju (joo): Ten

General Terms

  • Budo (boo-doh): Martial way
  • Bunkai (bun-kye): Applications
  • Chudan (chew-dahn): Chest area
  • Dan (dahn): Black belt rank
  • Do (doh): Way/path
  • Dojo (doh-joh): Training area
  • Domo Arigato Gozai-mashita (doh-moh ah-ree-gah-toe go-zye-mah-she-tah) Thank you very much (past)
  • Gasshuku (gas-shoe-koo) Summer camp
  • Gedan (geh-dahn): Lower body area
  • Gi (ghee): Uniform
  • Gohan-kumite (goh-hon koo-mih-tay): Five step sparring
  • Hai (hi): Yes
  • Hajime (hah-zhim-ay): Begin
  • Hidari (he-dah-rhee): Left
  • Hombu-Dojo (hohm-boo doh-joh): Dojo headquarter
  • Ippon kumite (eep-pohn koo-me-teh): One step sparring
  • Jiyu ippon (jye-oo ih-pon): Free one step sparring
  • Jiyu-kumite (gee-you koo-me-teh): Free sparring
  • Jodan (joh-dahn): Face area
  • Kamae (kah-mah-eh): Sparring posture
  • Karate (kah-rah-teh): Empty hand
  • KarateKa (kah-rah-teh-kah): Karate student
  • Kata (kah-tah): Form
  • Ki (key): Mind, Spirit, Energy
  • Kiai (key-aye): Focusing shout
  • Kihon (key-hohn): Basic technique
  • Kihon kumite (key-hohn koo-me-teh): Basic sparring
  • Kime (key-may): Focus of power
  • Kumite (koo-me-teh): Sparring
  • Kyu (kyoo): White/Brown belt Rank
  • Mae (mah-eh): Front
  • Makiwara (mah-key-wha-rha): Punching board
  • Mawate-te (mah-wha-tay): Turn around
  • Migi (me-ghee): Right
  • Ohayo Gozaimasu (oh-ha-yoh go-zye-mah-soo): Good morning
  • Onegai-shimasu (oh-nih-guy-she-mah-soo): Please teach me
  • Osu (oh-soo): Greeting
  • Oyasumi nasai (oh-yah-soo-me nah-sigh): Good night
  • Rei (rey): Bow
  • Sanbon kumite (san-bohn koo-me-teh): Three step sparring
  • Seiza (say-zah): Sitting position
  • Sempai (sehm-pye): Senior student
  • Sensei (sehn-seh-ee): Instructor
  • Shizen-tai (she-zen tah-ee): Natural position
  • Tai sabaki (tye sah-bah-key): Body movement
  • Waza (wah-zah): Technique
  • Yame (yah-may): Stop
  • Yoi (yoy): Ready
  • Zanshin (zahn-shin): Following through technique