University of Michigan Shotokan Karate Club

Terminology

Index General Terms Blocks Punches Kicks Stances Kumite Back

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Numbers:
ichi [ee-chee]	one
ni [nee]	two
san [sahn]	three
shi [shee]	four
go [goh]	five
roku [roh-koo]	six
shichi [shee-chee]	seven
hachi [hah-chee]	eight
ku [koo]	nine
ju [joo]	ten
Formalities and General Terms:
rei [reh-ee]	bow
mokuso [moh-koo-soh]	close eyes, meditate
yoi [yoh-ee]	ready
hajime [hah-jee-meh]	begin
kamaete [kah-mah-eh-teh]	assume stance
kaette [kah-eh-teh]	pivot or change direction
yame [yah-meh]	stop
yasume [yah-soo-meh]	relax, at ease
kiai [kee-ah-ee]	vocal expulsion of air
kihon [kee-hohn]	basic training
kata [kah-tah]	formal exercise or form
kumite [koo-mee-teh]	sparring
Blocks:
gedan-barai [geh-dahn bah-rah-ee]	down block
age-uke [ah-geh oo-keh]	rising block
ude-uke [oo-deh oo-keh]	inside-out block
tettsui-uke [tet-soo-ee oo-keh]	hammer-fist block
shuto-uke [shoo-toh oo-keh]	knife-hand block
Punches:
jodan [joh-dahn]	face level
chudan [choo-dahn]	stomach level
oizuke [oh-ee-zoo-kee]	front punch
gyakuzuki [gyah-koo-zoo-kee]	reverse punch
maete [mah-eh-teh]	jab
Kicks:
mae-geri [mah-eh-geh-ree]	front kick
mawashi-geri [mah-wah-shee-geh-ree]	roundhouse kick
yoko-geri keage [yoh-koh-geh-ree keh-ah-geh]	side-up kick
yoko-geri kekomi [yoh-koh-geh-ree keh-koh-mee]	side thrust kick
fumikomi [foo-mee-koh-mee]	stomping kick
mikazuki-geri [mee-kah-zoo-kee-geh-ree]	crescent kick
Stances:
zenkutsu-dachi [zehn-koo-tsoo-dah-chee]	front stance
kokutsu-dachi [koh-koo-tsoo-dah-chee]	back stance
kiba-dachi [kee-bah-dah-chee]	horse riding stance
Kumite:
ippon kumite [eep-pohn goo-mee-teh]	one-time attack
sanbon gumite [sahn-bohn goo-mee-teh]	three-time attack
jiyu kumite [jee-yoo goo-mee-teh]	free style
jiyu ippon kumite [jee-yoo eep-pohn goo-mee-teh]	one attack, semi-free style