Karate do Shotokai

Terminology

The terminology presented here is divided into:

• Standard Forms - terms which are in everyday KDS usage

• General - terms which are correct and part of KDS practise but are generally not referred to by their Japanese name.

• Miscellaneous Terms - terms which appear in Karate-Do Kyohan or have been used in the past and so are included for completeness and interest.

Training

Standard Forms

Kihon - basic training
Kata - forms
Kumite - engagement match
Ten no Kata - basic (universal) application
Ippon kumite - one step engagement (sparring)
Sanbon kumite - three step engagement (sparring)
Jiyu kumite - free engagement (sparring)
Jiyu ippon kumite - free one step engagement (sparring)

General

Gobon kumite - five step engagement (sparring)

Stances

Standard Forms

Zenkutsu dachi - front stance
Kokutsu dachi - back stance
Kiba dachi - straddle leg ("horse riding") stance
Fudo dachi - rooted or immovable stance
Nekoashi dachi - cat leg stance

General

Heisoku dachi - feet together stance
Hachiji dachi - natural stance
Choju dachi - 'T' stance
Gankaku dachi - crane stance
Hangetsu dachi - half moon stance
Yamagamae - mountain posture

Miscellaneous Terms

Tachikata - stance
Seiza - kneeling position

Hand / Arm Techniques (Defences)

Standard Forms

Gedan barai - downward sweep block
Age uke - rising block
Ude uke - forearm block
Uchikomi - hammer striking block
Taisho barai - palm heel sweep block
Shuto-barai - sword hand sweep block
Shuto uke - sword hand block
Morote-uke - both hands block (augmented block)
Hiki-te - pulling hand, pulling-in block

General

Suikui-te - scooping block
Kake-te - hooking block
Harai-te - sweeping block
Kakae-te - trapping block
Kakewake - opening block
Uchi-te - striking block
Uchi uke - forearm block
Kosa-uke - cross block
Mizu-nagare - water flowing
Osai-uke - pressing block

Miscellaneous Terms

Uke - block
Barai - sweep
Te waza - hand techniques
Uke-te - hand blocks (arm blocks)
Shuto - sword hand

Hand / Arm Techniques (Striking)

Standard Forms

Oi tsuki - front (forward) punch
Gyaku tsuki - reverse punch
Empi - elbow attack
Uraken - back fist strike
Tettsui - hammer fist strike
Morote-zuki - double fist attack

General

Seiken - regular fist
Ippon ken - single point fist
Hiraken - flat fist
Renzuki - continuous punching
Ippon zuki - one finger thrust
Nihon zuki - two finger thrust
Shihon zuki - four finger thrust
Nukite - spear hand
Shihon nukite - four finger spear hand

Miscellaneous Terms

Tsuki-te - hand attacks
Tsuki - fist thrust attack
Teisho - palm heel
Te waza - hand techniques

Kicking (Attacking)

Standard Forms

Mae-geri - front kick
Yoko-geri - side kick
Yoko-geri keage (Keage) - side-up kick
Kekomi - side thrust kick
Fumikomi - stamp-in kick
Mawashi-geri - roundhouse kick
Nami-gaeshi - returning wave
Nidan geri - double jump kick

General

Hiza-tsuchi - knee strike
Ushiro-geri - back kick
Tobi geri - jump kick
Sokuto - sword foot

Miscellaneous Terms

Ashi waza - foot techniques

Kicking (Defending)

Standard Forms

Mikazuki-geri (Ori) - crescent moon kick

General

Ashi barai- foot sweep

Movement

Standard Forms

Irimi - entrance

General

Embu sen - line of movement (Kata forms)

Yori-ashi - sliding feet

Miscellaneous Terms

Sankaku tobi - triangle leap

Kata

Shorin-ryu Forms

Taikyoku - First Cause

Shodan (1st)
Nidan (2nd)
Sandan (3rd)

Heian - Peaceful Mind

Shodan (1st)
Nidan (2nd)
Sandan (3rd)
Yodan (4th)
Godan (5th)

Bassai - To Penetrate a Fortress

Dai (Minor)
Sho (Major)

Kanku - To Look at the Sky

Dai (Minor)
Sho (Major)

Empi - Flying Swallow
Gankaku - Crane on a Rock

Shorei-ryu Forms

Tekki - Horse Riding

Shodan (1st)
Nidan (2nd)
Sandan (3rd)

Jutte - Ten Hands
Hangetsu - Half Moon
Jion - named after a Buddhist temple

Other

Jiin - named after a Buddhist saint

Meikyo - Mirror of the Soul

Nijushiho - Twenty Four Steps

Sochin - Preserve the Peace

Goju Kata

Sanchin
Tensho

Bo Kata

Matsukaze
Sakugawa
Shu Shi No Kon

General

Standard

Gedan - low level
Chudan - mid level
Jodan - upper level

Throwing

Nage waza - throwing techniques

•  Byobudaoshi - topple a folding screen
•  Komanage - spinning top
•  Kubiwa - encircle the neck
•  Kata waguruma - half wheel
•  Tsubamegaeshi - V-turning swallow
•  Yaridama - spear a ball
•  Taniotoshi - push off a cliff
•  Sakatsuchi - hammer upside down

Training Aids

Bo - wooden staff
Bokken - wooden sword
Shinai - bamboo sword
Tanto - wooden knife
Makiwara - striking post

General / Other

Sei - regular
Ki - irregular
Tuski-te - attacker
Uke-te - defender
Hente - changing hands
Morote - both hands
Tori-te - escape techniques
Kime - focus
Kimete - deciding blow
Sente - no first hand
Go no sen o toru - defence equals offence
Tai no shinshuku - expanding and contracting the body
Yoi - ready
Yame - stop
Yasume - rest
Zanshin - remaining mind
Mokusoo - meditation
Dojo - training / practice hall
Karateka - karate student
Gi - karate suit
Dan - black belt
Kyu - coloured belt
Sensei - teacher / master