Japanese Vocabulary

As Karate is a martial art of Japanese origin, it is natural that many of the terms used in the Dojo are Japanese. Although these words may seem strange to new practitioners at first, with time and practice they become part of every karateka’s daily life.

It should be noted that the Japanese use three writing systems (Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji) in their daily lives. To make things easier for new practitioners, we present the most commonly used vocabulary in karate dojos around the world.

Numbers

1ichi

2ni

3san

4yon or shi

5go

6roku

7nana or shichi

8hachi

9kyu or ku

10ju

20niju

30sanju

100hyaku

Counters (abstract, "things")

1Hitotsu

2Futatsu

3Mittsu

4Yottsu

5Itsutsu

Other Counters

hon (various types of objects, especially long and thin, but also techniques or sets of techniques, practice sessions, etc.)

1Ippon

2Nihon

3Sanbon

4Yohon

5Gohon

6Roppon

7Nanahon

8Happon

9Kyuhon

10Juppon

Most Common Words

ageAction of raising, lifting

aihanmiRelative stance of two practitioners with the same leg forward

aikidoLiterally: way of harmonising energy

ashiLeg, foot

ashibaraiFoot sweep

atamaHead

atemiStrike

awaseCombination, union, harmonisation

ayumiWalking

baraiSweep

boLong stick

bojutsuStick techniques

bokkenWooden sword

buWarrior

bushiWarrior

budoWay of the warrior, martial arts

chiChinese word for vital energy, same as "Ki"

chudanMiddle level (from the neck to the waist)

dachiStance

daiBig

danLevel, grade (black belt)

doWay, path

dojoPlace of Budo training

embusenDiagram of a kata

empiElbow, same as "hiji"

fumiCrush

gashoPlace hands together in front of the face to bow (Zen, Mokuso, etc.)

gedanLow level (from the waist down)

geriKick

giSuit for Budo practice, made up of Uwagi (jacket), Zubon (trousers) and Obi (belt)

gonosenTactic of letting the opponent attack first in order to counter-attack

gyakuReverse, opposite

hajimeStart, begin

hakamaWide trousers worn over the gi in traditional martial arts (Kyudo, Kendo, Iaido, Aikido, etc.)

happoEight directions

haraAbdomen

heikoParallel

henkaChange (of stance)

hidariLeft

hijiElbow

hikiteDrawing the fist back to the hip

hizaKnee

hoDirection, sense, method

horanokamaeStarting position of some katas, with one hand covering the closed fist

ipponOne (point, step, attack, etc.)

ipponkumitePartner exercises with 1 attack 1 defence

irimiEntering movement (into the opponent's circle)

jitsuTechnique

jiyuFree

jiyuipponkumiteFree (controlled) sparring with a single attack

jiyukumiteControlled partner exercises in which sparring forms are free

joHigh

jodanHigh level (from the neck up)

josekiUpper side, place of honour (in the dojo, the south wall, to the right of the main wall)

juGentleness, gentle

judoWay of gentleness

jukumiteGentle sparring

kagiHook

kakeHook

kaishowazaOpen-hand techniques

kakatoHeel

kamaeDefensive stance

kamaeteOrder to take position

kamizaMain wall of the dojo, to the east, where the Tokonoma is

karaEmpty

karadaBody, same as "tai"

karatedoThe Way of the empty hands

kataForm of practice, with or without a partner, with pre-set sequences of techniques

katanaSword

keageFast upward movement

keikoTraining

kekomiThrusting movement

kenSword

kendoArt of Japanese fencing

keriKick

kiEnergy, vital force, spirit

kiaiProjection of energy through a shout

kihonBasic techniques

kimeConcentration of physical and mental energy, decision

kiritsuStand up

koSmall, posterior

kohaiJunior practitioner, the opposite of Sempai

kokoroSpirit, heart

kokyuBreath power

koshiHip

koteWrist

kumiteSparring

kuzushiImbalance

kyuStudent grade

kyushoVital points

maaiCorrect distance

maeFront

makiRoll

makikomiJudo technique consisting of throwing by rolling the opponent

makiwaraTraditionally straw-wrapped target for training Karate-do or Kyudo

mawashiCircular movement

midaleKarate-do training method consisting of continued attacks and dodges

migiRight

mokusoLiterally: not thinking. State of concentration during the opening and closing ceremony of Budo practice

moroteBoth hands

nagewazaThrowing techniques

nekoCat

nobashiExtension, act of stretching

nukiteAttack with fingers together and extended

oBig

okuriSliding

osaeImmobilisation

otagaiMutual bow

otoshiMovement from top to bottom

randoriFree sparring

reiBow

reigiEtiquette, rules of conduct

ritsureiStanding bow

ryoBoth

ryuStyle, school

sabakiEvasion

saiTrident-shaped weapon from Okinawa

samuraiJapanese warrior

sanbonkumiteSparring with three attacks

sasaeSupport

seizaKneeling position

sempaiSenior student

sennosenAnticipation

senseiTeacher

senseireiBow to the teacher

senseitaishiBow towards the teacher

shihanHigh-ranking teacher

shihoFour directions

shikkoWalking on the knees

shimozaWest wall of the dojo, opposite Kamiza, where the students sit

shimosekiNorth wall of the dojo, where non-practising assistants may sit

shinSpirit

shinaiBamboo sword used in Kendo practice

shiseiPosition, posture

shizentaiNatural upright stance

shoSmall

shomenFacing the front

shomenreiBow to the main wall of the dojo

shomentaishiBow towards the main wall of the dojo

shutoEdge of the hand (little finger side)

sokutoEdge of the foot, little toe side

sotoOutside

sumoTraditional Japanese wrestling

sutemiSacrifice; techniques in which the executor throws themselves to throw the opponent

taiBody, same as "karada"

taisabakiBody movement/evasion

tantoDagger

tatamiJapanese mat covering the floor, used in Judo and Aikido

tateVertical

teHand

tettsuiOuter lateral part of the fist

toFar, distant

tobiJump

tokuiStrongest

tokuiwazaStrongest (favourite) technique

tomariteCombat techniques originating in Tomari - Okinawa

tomoeCircular

tonfaAgricultural tool used in popular fighting techniques

toriThe one who attacks, the executor

tsukiPunch

tsukuriContact, second phase of executing a Judo technique

uchiInside

udeArm, forearm

ukeThe attacker, in two-person practice; the one who receives the fall

ukemiBreakfall, rolling

uraMovement rotating; the opponent’s back

urakenBack of the hand

uramawashiBack circular kick

ushiroBehind, to the rear

wakizashiShorter sword

wazaTechnique

yakosokuAgreed, no resistance

yameStop

yasumeOrder to relax

yoiAttention order

yokoSideways, lateral

zanshinState of concentration

zareiSeated bow

zempoTowards the front

zen1Front

zen2Japanese discipline, a branch of Buddhism

Japanese Writing Systems

Hiragana (ひらがな)

Syllabic script used for native Japanese words and grammatical particles

Katakana (カタカナ)

Syllabic script used for words of foreign origin and onomatopoeia

Kanji (漢字)

Chinese characters adapted and integrated into Japanese writing