Whether you’re new to karate or still secretly confused by some of the terms, here’s a cheat sheet to give you a warm inner knowing in your next karate class.

ENGLISH JAPANESE
1 BASIC KIHON
2 training hall dojo
3 teacher sensei
4 bow rei
5 kneel seiza
6 meditate mokuso
7 form kata
8 sparring kumite
9 hard go
10 soft ju
11 start hajime
12 stop yame
13 shout kiai
14 STANCE DACHI
15 ready yoi dachi
16 on guard kamae
17 front stance zenkutso dachi
18 short front stance hanzenkutso dachi
19 cat stance neko dachi
20 sumo stance shiko dachi
21 hourglass stance sanchin dachi
22 STRIKE ZUKI
23 front arm punch mae-ken zuki
24 reverse arm punch gyaku zuki
25 spear hand thrust nukite
26 elbow strike empi
27 back hand strike ura-ken
28 KICK GERI
29 front kick mai-geri
30 roundhouse kick mawashi-geri
31 side thrust kick yoko-geri
32 knee strike hiza geri
33 BLOCK UKE
34 rising block age-uke
35 outside block ude-uke
36 inside block uchi-uke
37 downward block gedan barai (lower level sweep)
38 knifehand block shuto-uke
LEVELS
39 high jodan
40 middle chudan
41 low gedan
COUNTING
42 one ichi
43 two ni
44 three san
45 four shi
46 five go
47 six roku
48 seven shichi
49 eight hachi
50 nine kyu
51 ten ju

 

No blog post on karate terminology would be complete without special mention of the word “Oss” or “OSAAA” as we like to say at Claremont dojo. It’s a generic term and a particularly enthusiastic way of saying ‘yes’ or to acknowledge something or someone. It also means “I will endure, even when being pushed” or “I will persevere, work hard, and never give up.” [Between you and me, when in doubt just say, “Oss Sensei”. With feeling.]

You’ll be hearing and using these words for as long as you practice karate, so read the list a few times before each class and you’ll soon get the hang of it.

ROBYN YOUNG | 3rd Kyu Brown Belt