Japanese Terminology for Pre-Karate Students
Our dojo uses many Japanese terms. You will learn many naturally as your training progresses. Please check your specific promotion exam requirments to see which terms are required for your rank.

Counting / Numbers:

one ichi
two ni
three san
four shi or yon
five go
six roku
seven shichi or nana
eight hachi
nine ku
ten ju

General Terminology:

begin hajime
stop yame
bow rei
ready yoi
teacher (born before) Sensei
senior Senpai
junior Kohai
karate practitioner karateka
training hall dojo
uniform gi
empty hand karate
the way of the empty hand karate-do
basics kihon
forms kata
spirited yell kiai
meditate mokuso
belt obi
kneel seiza
front wall shomen
attention kiyotsuke (key-own-skay)
turn around mawate

Stances:

stance dachi
attention stance (heels together feet out) musubi dachi

parallel ready stance heiko dachi
front stance zenkutsu dachi
horse riding stance kiba dachi

Blocks:

block uke
rising/face block age uke
low sweeping block gedan barai

Hand Techniques:

lunge punch oi-zuki

Foot Techniques:

kick geri
front kick mae geri (my-gary)
roundhouse kick mawashi geri