Karate Terminology

 The following are some basic Kyokushin Karate terminology divided into categories. Click on each category to view the related content.

1. Kihon Waza – Basic Techniques
2. Buki – Weapons
3. Neraidokoro kogekihoko – Targets and Directions
4. Dachi – Stances
5. Tsuki Waza – Punching techniques
6. Uchi Waza – Striking techniques
7. Uke Waza – Blocking techniques
8. Geri Waza – Kicking techniques
9. Kihon jutsugo – Basic terminology
10. Taikai jutsugo – Tournament terminology
11. Kazu – Numbers

KIHON WAZA BASIC TECHNIQUES Tsuki Punch (thrust) Uchi Strike Uke Block Geri Kick ⋏ Top BUKI WEAPONS Ashi Foot or Leg Chusoku Ball (middle) of the Foot Haisho Backhand Haisoku Instep of the Foot Haito Inner Knife Hand Hiji Elbow Hiraken Flat Fist Hiza Knee Kakato Heel Keiko Chicken Beak Koken Wrist Top Kote Forearm Nakayubi Ippon Ken Middle Finger Knuckle Fist Nukite Spear Hand Oyayubi Ippon Ken Thumb Knuckle Fist Ryutoken Dragon’s Head Fist Seiken Forefist (correct fist) Shotei Palm Heel Shuto Knife Hand Sokuto Outside Edge of the Foot Sune Shin Te Hand Teisoku Arch of the Foot Tetsui Hammer Fist Toho Sword Peak Hand Uraken Backfist ⋏ Top NERAIDOKORO KOGEKIHOKO TARGETS & DIRECTIONS Age Rising Ago Chin or Jaw Atama Head Chudan Middle Level Ganmen Face Gedan Lower Level Hidari Left Hizo Spleen Jodan Upper Level Kake Hooked Kansetsu Joint (of limb) Kintama (Kin) Groin, Testicles(gold jewels) Komekami Temple Kubi Neck Mae Front, Forward Mawashi Round, Circular Me Eyes Migi Right Nodo Throat Oroshi Descending Sakotsu Collarbone Sayu Left and Right Soto Outside Tobi Jumping Uchi Inside Ura Reverse, Backwards Ushiro Back (direction) Yoko Side (direction) ⋏ Top DACHI STANCES Yoi Dachi Ready Stance Fudo Dachi Immobile Stance Zenkutsu Dachi Forward Leaning Stance Uchi Hachiji Dachi Inside Character “8” Stance Sanchin Dachi Three Point Stance Kokutsu Dachi Back Leaning Stance Musubi Dachi Open Foot (connected) Stance Kiba Dachi Horseback Stance Neko Ashi Dachi Cat Stance Tsuru Ashi Dachi Crane Stance Moro Ashi Dachi One Foot Forward (two-foot) Stance Heisoku Dachi Closed Foot Stance Heiko Dachi Parallel Stance Kake Dachi Hooked Stance Soto Hachiji Dachi Outside Character “8” Stance Shiko Dachi Sumo Stance Kumite Dachi Fighting Stance Han Mi Half Body Stance Migi Ashi Mae Right Foot Forward Hidari Ashi Mae Left Foot Forward ⋏ Top TSUKI WAZA PUNCHING TECHNIQUES Seiken – Forefist – – Oi Tsuki – Lunge Punch – Morote Tsuki – Two-Handed Punch – Gyaku Tsuki – Reverse Punch – Tate Tsuki – Vertical Punch – Jun Tsuki – Side (corresponding) Punch Shita Tsuki Lower Punch ⋏ Top UCHI WAZA STRIKING TECHNIQUES Seiken – Forefist – – Ago Uchi – Chin / Jaw Strike – Furi Ichi – Hook Strike Tetsui – Hammer Fist – – Oroshi Ganmen Uchi – Descending Face Strike – Komekami Uchi – Temple Strike – Hizo Uchi – Spleen Strike – Mae Yoko Uchi – Forward Side Strike – Yoko Uchi – Side Strike Uraken – Backfist – – Ganmen Uchi – Face Strike – Sayu Uchi – Left and Right Strike – Hizo Uchi – Spleen Strike – Oroshi Ganmen Uchi – Descending Face Strike – Mawashi Uchi – Roundhouse Strike Nihon Nukite Two-Fingered Spear Hand Yonhon Nukite Four-Fingered Spear Hand Shotei Uchi Palm Heel Strike Shuto – Knife Hand – – Sakotsu Uchi – Collarbone Strike – Yoko Ganmen Uchi – Side Face Strike – Sakotsu Uchikomi – Collarbone Driving Strike – Hizo Uchi – Spleen Strike – Uchi Uchi – Inside Strike Hiji Ate Elbow Strike Mae Hiji Ate Forward Elbow Strike Age Hiji Ate Rising Elbow Strike Ushiro Hiji Ate Backwards Elbow Strike Oroshi Hiji Ate Descending Elbow Strike ⋏ Top UKE WAZA BLOCKING TECHNIQUES Jodan Uke Upper Block Gedan Barai Lower Parry Chudan Uchi Uke Middle Area Inside Block Chudan Soto Uke Middle Area Outside Block Morote Chudan Uchi Uke Two-Handed Middle Area Inside Block Shuto Uke Knife Hand Block Juji Uke Crossed Block Kake Uke Hooked Block Shotei Uke Palm Heel Block Mawashi Uke Circular Block ⋏ Top GERI WAZA KICKING TECHNIQUES Hiza Ganmen Geri Knee Face Kick Kin Geri Groin Kick Mae Geri Front Kick Mae Keage Front Rising Kick Soto Mawashi Geri Outside Crescent Kick Uchi Mawashi Geri Inside Crescent Kick Yoko Keage Side Rising Kick Mawashi Geri Roundhouse Kick Kansetsu Geri Joint Kick Yoko Geri Side Kick Ushiro Geri Back Kick Mae Kakato Geri Front Heel Kick Ago Geri Chin / Jaw Kick Tobi Mae Geri Jumping Front Kick ⋏ Top KIHON JUTSUGO BASIC TERMINOLOGY Anza Relaxed Sitting Arigato Gozaimasu Thank You (polite) Budo Martial Way Bunkai Application (analysis) Dan Grade (Black Belt) Dojo Training Hall (Way place) Dojo Kun Training Hall Oath Dogi (Gi) Karate Uniform (Way clothes) Fumiashi Step (with a change of feet) Gasshukoku United States Hajime Begin Hanshi Honorable Master Ibuki Forced Tension Breathing Jisen Kumite Full-Contact Fighting Jiyu Kumite Free Fighting Kamaete Take Ready Position Karate Empty Hand Kata Form Ki Inner Energy Kiai Explosive Scream Kiai Irete With Explosive Energy Kihon Basics Kihon Waza Basic Techniques Kime Focus Kohai Junior Student Kokusai International Kosa Switch (i.e. switch stance L to R or R to L) Kotai Switch (i.e. partners switch places in a drill) Kumite Fight Kyokushin Ultimate Truth Kyu Rank (below Black Belt) Maai Interval (between opponents) Makiwara Striking Post (straw wrapped) Mawatte Turn Mokuso Meditation (silent thought) Mugorei No Counting (no commands) Mushin Without Thought (no mind) Naore Return to Starting Position Nogare Calm Controlled Breathing Obi Belt (sash) Okuriashi Shuffle Step (sending foot) Onegaishimasu Please (polite) Osu Patience and Determination Otagai Each Other Rei (…ni Rei) Bow (Bow to…) Renmei Federation Renma Polishing, Training Renraku Combinations Seishin Spirit Seiza Formal Kneeling (correct sitting) Sempai Senior (1st & 2nd Dan) Sensei Teacher (born before) (3rd & 4th Dan) Shomen Front (correct face) of the Dojo Shihan Expert (5th, 6th & 7th Dan) Sosai President Tameshiwari Breaking Test Tanden Center of Body (below navel) Waza Technique(s) Yame Stop Yasume Rest, at Ease Yoi Ready Yudansha Black Belt Holder Zanshin Remain Alert (remaining mind) ⋏ Top TAIKAI JUTSUGO TOURNAMENT TERMINOLOGY Aka Red Awasete Ippon Adds Up to One Point Chui Warning Encho Overtime Round (extension) Fukushin Corner Judge (assistant referee) Fukushin Shugo Referees’ Conference Genten Penalty Hantei Decision Hikiwake Draw, Tie Ippon One Point Kachi Win Senshuken Taikai Championship Tournament Shikaku Disqualification Shiro White Shushin Referee Waza Ari Half Point (has a technique) Zokko Resume Fighting ⋏ Top KAZU NUMBERS Ichi One Ni Two San Three Shi, Yon Four Go Five Roku Six Shichi, Nana Seven Hachi Eight Ku Nine Ju Ten Sanju Thirty Hyaku Hundred Sen Thousand Man Ten Thousand ⋏ Top