KARATE TITLES & TERMS

Karate is a martial art from Japan. Therefore, we will use Japanese titles and terms in training. Here are some simple terms that we used mostly:

TITLES & RANKS

JAPANESE KANJI

宗家

​館長

​支部長

師範

先生

指導員

助教

先輩

後輩

有段者

無段者

ROMAJI

SOKE

KANCHO

SHIBUCHO

SHIHAN

SENSEI

SHIDOIN

JOKYO

SENPAI

KOHAI

YUDANSHA

MUDANSHA

MEANING

Head of the Family / Grand Master

Chief Master of an organization

Branch Chief

Master Instructor (Teacher of Teachers)

Instructor / Coach / Teacher (General Speaking)

Official Instructor

Assistant Instructor

The person who's senior to yourself

The person who's junior to yourself

Black Belt Member (Shodan or above)

Non Black Belt Member (Color Belt Member)

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GENERAL

JAPANESE KANJI

正座

気を付け

​默想

​治って

​用意

始め

​止め

はい

気合

ROMAJI

​SEIZA​​

​KIOTSUKE

​MOKUSOU

NAOTE

YOOI

HAJIME

YAME

HAI

KIAI​

MEANING

Japanese sitting position

Pay attention

Close eyes and focus

Back to original position

Get Ready

Start

Stop

Means "Yes", "Okay"

Combine the technique with breathing

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STANCE (DACHI)

JAPANESE KANJI

​閉足立ち

​結び立ち

​平行立ち

​外八立ち

内八立ち

​四股立ち

前屈立ち

​半前屈立ち

猫足立ち

弁足立ち

ROMAJI

​HEISOKU DACHI

​MUSUBI DACHI

​HEIKO DACHI

SOTO HACHI DACHI

UCHI HACHI DACHI

SHIKO DACHI

ZENKUTSU DACHI

HAN ZENKUTSU DACHI

NEKO ASHI DACHI

BENSOKU DACHI

MEANING

Close Feet Stance

Open Feet Stance

Parallel Stance

Outside Character Eight Stance

Inside Character Eight Stance

Straddle Stance

Forward Stance

Half Forward Stance

Cat Stance

Bent leg Stance

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BLOCK (UKE)

JAPANESE KANJI

上段受け

中段受け

下段払い

掛け受け

内受け

外受け

ROMAJI

JODAN UKE

CHUDAN UKE

GEDAN BARAI

KAKE UKE

UCHI UKE

SOTO UKE

MEANING

Upper Block

Middle Block

Lower Sweep

Hooking Block

Forearm Inside Block

Middle Outside Block

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ATTRACK (TSUKI / UCHI / AGE)

JAPANESE KANJI

正拳突き

逆突き

​上段突き

中段突き

下段突き

下突き

揚突き

振り打ち

​手刀打ち

鉄槌打ち

掌底当て

裏拳

肘当て

一本拳

ROMAJI

SEI KEN TSUKI

GYAKU TSUKI

JODAN TSUKI

​CHUDAN TSUKI

GEDAN TSUKI

SHITA TSUKI

A GE TSUKI

FURI UCHI

SHUTO UCHI

​TETSUI UCHI

TETSUI UCHI

URAKEN

​HIJI ATE

IPPON KEN

MEANING

Fore Fist Punch

Reverse Punch

Upper Punch

Middle Punch

Lower Punch

Under Punch

Ascending Punch

Back Fist Swing Strike

Knife Hand Strike

Hammer Firt Strike

Bottom Palm Strike

Back Fist Swinging Strike

Elbow Smash

One Point Fist Punch

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KICK (GERI)

JAPANESE KANJI

​下段蹴り

前蹴り

関節蹴り

​廻蹴り

横蹴り

膝蹴り

足払い

ROMAJI

​GEDAN GERI

MAE GERI

​KANSETSU GERI

​MAWASHI GERI

YOKO GERI

​HIZA GERI

​​ASHI BARAI

MEANING

Under Kick

Forward Kick

Knee Joint Kick

Round House Kick

Side Kick

Knee Kick

Foot Sweep

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