top of page

Stances (DACHI)

FUDO DACHI                 Rooted stance

GANKAKU DACHI           Crane stance

HACHIJI DACHI              Open leg stance

HANGETSU DACHI          Half-moon stance

HEIKO DACHI                Parallel stance

HEISOKU DACHI            Formal attention stance

KAMAE or JIYU DACHI     Freestyle stance

KIBA DACHI                  Straddle-leg stance

KOKUTSU DACHI            Back stance

KOSA DACHI                 Crossed stance

MUSUBI DACHI              Informal Attention stance

NEKO ASHI DACHI        Cat stance

RENOJI DACHI               'L' stance

SAGI ASHI DACHI          Heron stance

SANCHIN DACHI            Hourglass stance

SHIKO DACHI                Square stance

SHIZEN TAI                   Natural stances

SOCHIN DACHI              Rooted stance

TEIJI DACHI                  'T' stance

TSURU ASHI DACHI        Crane stance

UCHI HACHIJI DACHI      Inverted open leg stance

ZENKUTSU DACHI          Front stance

 

Parts of the Body

ASHI                            Foot / Leg

ASHI NO URA                Sole of the foot

EMPI / HIJI                   Elbow

GAN                             Eye

HEISOKU                      Instep

HIZA GA SHIRA             Kneecap

HIZA                            Knee

KAKATO                        Heel

KAMI                           Hair

KOSHI                          Ball of foot

SOKUTO                       Edge of foot

TE                               Hand

UDE                             Forearm

WAN                            Arm

 

 

General Terminology

BUDO                          Martial way

BUNKAI                        Application Analysis

BUSHIDO                     Way of the warrior

DO                              Way

DOJO                           Place of the way

GERI                            Kick

GI                               Karate uniform /suit

HENKA                         Alternative applications

HONBU                        Main DOJO

KANCHO                       Organisation President

KAMAE                         Posture

KARATE                        Empty Hand

KARATE-KA                  Student of KARATE

KATA                           Form / Formal Pattern

KI                               Inner strength

KIAI                            Shout / 'spirit yell'

KIHON                         Basics

KIME                           Focus

KIRITSU                       Stand

KOHAI                         Junior student

KOKYU                         Breathing

KUMITE                        Sparring

KYU                             Grade / Rank

MAAI                           Distance

OBI                             Belt

OSS                            Term usually indicating understanding

OYO                             Advanced applications

REI                              Bow

SEMPAI                        Senior student

SENSEI                        Teacher

SOKE                           Master (Head) of a Style

TOKUI                         Favourite / Free choice

WAZA                          Technique

YUDANASHI                  Black Belt

ZANSHIN                      Awareness

 

DOJO Instructions

ENYOI                          Relax

HAJIME                        Begin

MOKUSO                      Meditate

MOKUSO YAME              Stop Meditating

REI                              Bow

SEIZA                          Kneeling position

SENSEI-NI-REI              Bow to teacher

OTAGAI NI REI              Bow to each other

YAME                           Stop

YOI                             Ready

 

 

​

Counting

ICHI                            one

NI                               two

SAN                             three

SHI                             four

GO                              five

ROKU                          six

SHICHI                        seven

HACHI                         eight

KU                              nine

JU                               ten

 

NI-JU-SHI                     twenty four  (2–10–4)

 

GO-JU-SHI                   fifty four  (5–10–4)

 

 

 

 

Colours

AKA                             Red

AOI                             Blue

CHA-IRO                      Brown

DAIDAIIRO                   Orange

KIIROI                         Yellow

KUROI                         Black

MIDORI                        Green

MURASAKI                    Purple

SHIROI                        White

Blocks (UKE)

AGE UKE                      Rising block

ASHIKUBI KAKE UKE      Ankle hooking block

GEDAN BARAI               Downward sweeping block

HAISHU UKE                 Back hand block

HAIWAN UKE                 Back arm block

HAITO UKE                   Ridge hand block

HIJI SURI UKE               Elbow sliding block

JUJI UKE                       'X' block

KAKE UKE                     Hooking block

KAIISHO UKE                Open-hand block

KAKIWAKI UKE              Wedge block

KAKUTO UKE                 Bent wrist block

KEITO UKE                    Chicken-head wrist block

MAE UDE HINERI UKE     Forearm twist block

MANJI GAMAE               Double arm block

MOROTE UKE                Augmented forearm block

NAGASHI UKE               Leg Sweeping / Parry block

NAME-ASHI UKE            Inside sweeping block

OTOSHI UKE                 Dropping block

OSAE UKE                     Pressing block

SEIRYUTO UKE              Ox-head block

SHUTO UKE                  Knife hand block

SOKUMEN AWASE UKE   Side combined block

SOKUTEI MAWASHI UKE Circular sole block

SOTO UDE UKE              Outside forearm block

SUKUI UKE                   Scooping block

TATE SHUTO UKE           Vertical knife hand block

TEISHO UKE                  Palm-heel block

TEKUBI KAKE UKE          Bent wrist hooking block

TE AWASE UKE              Combined hand block

TSUKAMI UKE                Grasping block

UCHI UDE UKE              Inside forearm block

 

Punches (ZUKI) (or TSUKI)

AGE ZUKI                     Rising punch

AWASE ZUKI                 'U' punch

CHOKU ZUKI                 Straight punch

REN ZUKI                     Consecutive punching

GYAKU ZUKI                 Reverse punch

HASAMI ZUKI                Scissor punch

HEIKO ZUKI                  Parallel punch

KAGE ZUKI                   Hook punch

KIZAMI ZUKI                 Jab punch

MAWASHI ZUKI             Roundhouse punch

MOROTE ZUKI               Augmented or double-fist punch

OI ZUKI                 Lunge/ Stepping punch

REN ZUKI                     Consecutive punching

SAN REN ZUKI               3 consecutive punches

TATE ZUKI                    Vertical punch

URA ZUKI                     Close punch

YAMA ZUKI                   Wide 'U' punch

 

Kicks (GERI)

FUMIKOMI GERI            Stamping kick

FUMIKIRI                     Cutting kick

HIZA GERI                    Knee kick

KAKATO GERI               Heel Kick

KIN GERI                      Groin snap kick

MAE GERI                     Front kick

MAE TOBI GERI             Jumping front kick

MAWASHI GERI             Roundhouse kick

MIKAZUKI GERI             Crescent kick

TOBI GERI                    Jump kick

USHIRO MAWASHI GERI Reverse roundhouse kick

USHIRO GERI                Back / Reverse kick

YOKO GERI KEAGE         Side snap kick

YOKO GERI KEKOMI       Side thrust kick

REN GERI                     Consecutive kicks

 

Strikes (UCHI)

AGE EMPI UCHI             Rising elbow strike

EMPI UCHI (HIJI-ATE)    Elbow strike

HAISHU UCHI                Back-hand strike

HAITO UCHI                  Ridge-hand strike

HIRAKEN                      Four knuckle punch

IPPON KEN                   One Knuckle punch fore finger

NAKADAKA KEN             One Knuckle punch middle finger

IPPON NUKITE              One finger strike

NIHON NUKITE              Two finger strike

SHIHON NUKITE            Sword / Spear fist

SHUTO UCHI                 Knife-hand strike

TEISHO UCHI                Palm-heel strike

TETTSUI UCHI               Hammer-fist strike (Iron Hammer)

URAKEN UCHI               Back-fist strike

 

 

Hands as Weapons

HAISHU                        Back hand

KAISHO                        Open Hand

KAKUTO                       Bent wrist

KUMADE                       Bear hand

SEIKEN                        Fore-fist

SEIRYOTO                     Ox-Jaw hand

WASHIDE                     Eagle hand

 

 

Directions

AGE                             Rising

BARAI                          Sweeping

GYAKU                         Reverse

HANMI                         Side facing

HIDARI                        Left

KAKE                           Hook

MAE                            Forward

MAWASHI                     Round

MAWATE                      Turn

MIGI                            Right

OTOSHI                       Downwards

TAI SABAKI                  Body shifting

TATE                           Vertical

TOBI                           Jump

USHIRO                        Back / Behind

YOKO                          Side

 

 

Area / Level

JODAN                         Face Height / Upper

CHUDAN                      Chest Height / Middle

GEDAN                         Lower

 

​

Join our mailing list for updates and events

Contact Details

Tel:      01279 267762

Email:  paul@sssk.co.uk

© 2023 all rights reserved

bottom of page