Essential Terminology Guide
Knowing Japanese is not a requirement, but as a Sensei or Sempai, it gives you additional credibility if you can use both Japanese and English, and as a student it means that you can train anywhere in the world and still understand the language. It also makes you feel good! Here are all the Japanese words that you'll need to describe kata and common techniques.
These are not the authentic Japanese pronunciations necessarily; rather they are the accepted GKR way of saying the words. I will be updating my complete terminology guide with verified Japanese pronunciations and literal meanings in the future.
In case you're interested, Romaji is the English alphabet way of spelling Japanese words. The word is a conjunction of two words "Roman" because the English alphabet actually derives from Roman letters; and "kanji" which is the term given to the Japanese alphabet.
Go Kan Ryu Karate Do
|
English |
Romaji spelling |
GKR pronunciation |
|
Hard |
Go |
Go |
|
Complete |
|
Can |
|
School |
Ryu |
Roo |
|
Empty |
Kara |
Carah |
|
Hand |
Te |
Teh |
|
Way of |
Do |
Doh |
Counting
|
English |
Romaji spelling |
GKR pronunciation |
|
1 |
Ichi |
Itch |
|
2 |
Ni |
Nee |
|
3 |
San |
Sun |
|
4 |
Shi |
Shee |
|
5 |
Go |
Go |
|
6 |
Roku |
Rook |
|
7 |
Shichi |
Shitch |
|
8 |
Hachi |
Hatch |
|
9 |
Ku |
Koo |
|
10 |
Ju |
Joo |
|
English |
Romaji spelling |
GKR pronunciation |
|
1st kata |
Taigyoku shodan |
|
|
2nd kata |
Taigyoku nidan |
|
|
3rd kata |
Saifa |
Sigh fuh |
|
4th kata |
Bassai Dai |
Bass eye dye |
|
5th kata |
Seiunchin |
Say un chin |
|
6th kata |
Enpi/Empi |
Em pee |
|
7th kata |
Sanseru |
Sahn seroo |
|
8th kata |
Sepai |
Seh pie |
|
9th kata |
Hangetsu |
Hahn get soo |
Stances
|
English |
Romaji spelling |
GKR pronunciation |
|
Parallel/ready stance |
Heiko dachi |
High coe datch |
|
Long forward stance |
Zenkutsu dachi |
Zen koot soo datch |
|
Short forward stance |
Han zenkutsu dachi |
Hahn zen koot soo datch |
|
Back leaning stance |
Kokutsu dachi |
Coe koot soo datch |
|
Horse riding stance/straddle stance |
Kiba dachi |
Keeba datch |
|
Sumo stance |
Shiko dachi |
She coe datch |
|
Cat stance |
Neko ashi dachi |
Neck oh ash ee datch |
|
Pigeon-toed/hourglass stance |
Sanchin dachi |
Sun chin datch |
|
Reverse cat stance |
Gyaku nekoashi dachi |
Gee ackoo neck oh ash ee datch |
Strikes
|
English |
Romaji spelling |
GKR pronunciation |
|
Stomach-level punch |
Chudan tsuki |
Chew dahn zooh key |
|
Head-level punch |
Jodan tsuki |
Joe dahn zooh key |
|
Front backfist |
Uraken |
You ra ken |
|
Side backfist |
Yoko uraken |
Yoe koe you ra ken |
|
Ridge-hand strike |
Haito uchi |
High toe oo chee |
|
Short punch |
Shita tsuki |
Sheet ah zooh key |
|
Rising elbow strike |
Hiji ate |
Hid jee ahh tee |
|
Round elbow strike |
Mawashi empi uchi |
Mar wash ee em pee |
|
Outside knife-hand strike |
Soto shuto uchi |
Sot oh shoe toe oo chee |
|
Inside knife-hand strike |
Uchi shuto uchi |
Oo chee shoe toe oo chee |
|
Straight punch (more accurately Choku tsuki) |
Seiken |
Say ken |
|
Punch |
Tsuki |
Zoo key |
|
Strike |
Uchi |
Oo chee |
|
Reverse punch |
Gyaku tsuki |
Gee ack oo zoo key |
|
Stepping or lunging punch |
Oi tsuki |
Oy zoo key |
Blocks
|
English |
Romaji spelling |
GKR pronunciation |
|
Rising head-level block |
Jodan age uke |
Joe dahn agay oo key |
|
Inside block |
Uchi uke |
Oo chee oo key |
|
Outside block |
Soto uke |
Sot oh oo key |
|
Downward block |
Gedan barai |
Ged ahn bar eye |
|
Sweeping block |
Gedan uke |
Ged ahn oo key |
|
Double block |
Chuge uke |
Chew gee oo key |
|
Hooking block |
Kake uke |
Car kay oo key |
|
Round block |
Mawashi uke |
Mar wash ee oo key |
|
|
|
|
|
Block |
Uke |
Oo key |
Kicks
|
English |
Romaji spelling |
GKR pronunciation |
|
Front kick |
Mae geri |
My geree |
|
Round kick |
Mawashi gero |
Mar wash ee geree |
|
Side kick |
Yoko geri |
Yo koe geree |
|
Back kick |
Ushiro geri |
Oo shee row geree |
|
|
|
|
|
Kick |
Geri |
Geree |
General
|
English |
Romaji spelling |
GKR pronunciation |
|
Yes |
Hai |
High |
|
Stop |
Yame |
Yam ay |
|
Start |
Hajime |
Ha jimmay |
|
Prepare to bow |
Seisa |
Say zar |
|
Bow |
Rei |
Ray |
|
Each other/everybody |
Otagai |
Auto gar nee (bad) Octa gar nee (terrible!) |
|
Close your eyes |
Mokuso |
Mock so |
|
Open your eyes |
Mokuso yame |
Mock so yam ay |
|
Teacher |
Sensei |
Sen say |
|
Assistant |
Sempai |
Sem pie |
|
Fighting |
Kumite |
Coo mit ay |
|
Free fighting |
Jyu kumite |
Jew koo mit ay |
|
Points fighting |
Ippon kumite |
Ip on koo mit ay |
|
Fighting posture |
Kame |
Kam ay |
|
Focus |
Kime |
Key may |
|
Shout of focus and power |
Kiai |
Key eye |
|
Training hall |
Dojo |
Doe joe |
|
Awareness |
Zanshin |
Zan shin |
|
Turn |
Mawate |
Mar what ay |
|
Founder |
Kancho |
Can choe |
|
Chief instructor |
Shihan |
She harn |
|
Application |
Bunkai |
Bun kie |
|
Grade below black belt |
Kyu |
Cue |
|
Black belt grade |
Dan |
Dahn |
|
Straight (punch or wrist) |
Seiken |
Say ken |
|
Groin level |
Gedan |
Ge dahn |
|
Stomach level |
Chudan |
Chew dahn |
|
Head level |
Jodan |
Joe dahn |
|
Karate suit |
Gi |
Gee |
|
Empty hand (fighting) |
Karate |
Car are teh |
|
Practitioner of karate |
Karateka |
Car are teh kah |
|
Front |
Mae |
My |
|
Side |
Yoko |
Yoh koh |
|
Back |
Ushiro |
Uh shee row |
|
Right |
Migi |
Mi gee |
|
Left |
Hidari |
He daree |
|
1st level black belt |
Shodan |
Show dahn |
|
2nd level black belt |
Nidan |
Nee dahn |
|
3rd level black belt |
Sandan |
Sahn dahn |
Click here to download this terminology guide in printable Adobe Acrobat PDF format.