Shotokan Karate Terminology
What some of it means.
Shotokan karate has its own unique terminology. Even though it is taught all over the world and in many different languages, it is not uncommon for commands in dojo to be given in Japanese. This is because Japan is where this art form came to life.
The following list of some of the terminology that a student may encounter. This list is by no means definative, as such students should view this list as merely a starting point.
General Terms:
karate do - empty handed way / shihan - master / sensei - teacher
sempai - senior student / kohai - junior student
dojo - training hall / obi - belt / seiza - kneeling /mokuso - meditate
rei - bow / yoi - ready / hajime - begin / yame - stop
naote - relax / hidari - left / migi - right /jodan - upper /chudan - middle
gedan - lower / dachi - stance / zuki - punch / uchi - strike / uke - block
geri - kick / tai sabaki - body shifting / yori ashi - foot shifting
Strikes:
kazama zuki - jab / choku zuki - straight punch / oi zuki - lunge punch
gyaku zuki - reverse punch / yama zuki - mountain punch
yoko zuki - side punch / shita zuki - inverted punch
ippon ken - one knuckle strike / uraken - back fist / tetsui - hammer fist
empi uchi - elbow strike / nukite-zuki - spear hand strike / shuto - knife hand
shuto-zuki - sword hand strike
Blocks:
jodan age uke - upper rising block / jodan tetsui - upper hammer fist
gedan uke - lower block / soto uke - inward middle block
kake wake uke - reverse wedge block / haishu-uke - back hand block
uchi uke - outward middle block / morote uke - augmented block
teisho oshi uke - pressing palm heal block / shuto-uke - sword hand block
juji-uke - X block
Stances :
zenkutsu dachi - front stance / kokutsu dachi - back stance
kiba dachi - horse stance / fudo dachi - rooted stance
neko ashi dachi - cat stance / hangetsu dachi - hourglass stance
Kicks:
hiza geri - knee strike / mae geri - front kick / yoko geri keage - side snap kick
yoko geri kekomi - side thrust kick / fumakomi - stomp kick
mika zuki geri - crescent kick / mawashi geri - round kick / tobi geri - jump kick
ni mae geri - double front kick / ushiro geri kekomi - back thrust kick
Other Terms:
gedan-barai - down block / chudan oi zuki - middle lunge punch
chudan uchi uke - inside outward block / tetsui zuki - hammer fist strike
shuto uke - sword hand block / shuto zuki - sword hand strike
tai-sabaki - body shifting / jodan oi zuki - upper lunge punch
jodan age uke - upper rising block / yoko geri keage - side snapping kick
mae geri keage - front snapping kick / chudan uraken - middle back fist
chudan nukite zuki - middle spear hand strike
chudan gyaku zuki - middle reverse punch
morote chudan uchi uke - augmented middle inside outward block
jodan soto uke - upper forearm strike
morote gedan uchi uke - augmented lower inside outward block
morote shita zuki - augmented upper inverted punch
chudan teisho yoko uke - middle side palm heel block
chudan yoko zuki - middle side punch
ni jodan shita zuki - double inverted upper punch
chudan tsukami uke - middle grasping block
chudan osae uke - middle pressing block
chudan mae empi uchi - middle forward elbow strike
chudan keito uke - middle chicken head block
hitosashiyubi gedan nukite - lower index finger spear hand
shuto gedan barai - lower sword hand strike
washide jodan uchi - upper eagle strike / chudan uraken - middle back fist
jodan mae geri keage - upper front snapping kick
chudan hiza geri - middle knee strike / chudan mika zuki geri - middle crescent kick
chudan mawashi zuki - middle round house punch
jodan shuto juji uke - upper open hand X block
ni yoko chudan zuki - double middle side punch
chudan-tate-shuto-uchi-uke -middle level vertical inside outward sword hand block
chudan choku zuki - middle straight punch / ni jodan uke - double rising block
hidari ashi dachi - left legged stance / chudan uchi otoshi - middle falling block
jodan yoko uchi barai - upper side sweeping block
sho koko bo uke - tiger mouth block
chudan oi zuki maeude hineri - middle lunge punch with turning forearm
jodan tate mawashi uchi - upper vertical roundhouse strike
naname shita ni oshinobasu - double downward oblique push
gedan gassho uke - lower double palm heel block / sankaku tobi - triangle jump
chudan nakadaka ippon ken - middle one knuckle strike
jodan age nihon nukite-zuki - upper two finger spear hand strike
haishu uke - back hand block / jodan kensei - upper palm feint
Remember: "In the dojo actions always speak louder than words".