KARATE US

+1 415 967 8088

www.KarateUS.com

BASIC KARATE INFORMATION

(Counting, Ceremony, Terminology)
CEREMONY = Dôjô Courtesies
GISHISKI

Rei Bow
Seiza Kneel down
Mokuso Meditation
Mokuso Yame Stop meditation
Sensei, Onegaishimasu,
Teacher, please train us, bow
Rei
Sensei, Arigato
Teacher, thank you very much, bow
Gozaimashita, Rei
Tatte Stand
Anata wa o-genki desu How are you? (Your health)
ka?
Arigato gozaimasu Thank you very much. (More polite)
Arigato Thank you
Dô itashimashite Not at all. You are welcome.
Dômo arigato gozaimasu Thank you very much (most polite form).
Dômo Thanks. [Very casual form]
Dôzo Please (do this). [Very casual form]
Genki desu, arigato. I am fine, thank you.
Gomen-nasai Excuse me
Hajime shaste kudasai Permission to begin, please.
Konban wa Good evening or Hello, when used as a greeting.
Konnichi wa Good afternoon.
Kudasai Please give me the favor of. [Polite form]
Ohayô-gozaimasu Good morning.
Omedeto-gozaimasu Congratulations.
Onegai-shimasu I humbly request. Please teach me.
Oyasumi-nasai Good night. (when going home for the night.)
Sayônara Good bye
Shitsurei, shimasu Excuse me. Good bye (To a senior).

1
KARATE US
+1 415 967 8088
www.KarateUS.com

KAZU Counting
Ichi One
Ni Two
San Three
Shi (Yon) Four
Go Five
Roku Six
Shichi Seven
Hachi Eight
Kyu Nine
Jyu Ten
Jyu Ichi Eleven
Ni Jyu Twenty
Ni Jyu Ichi Twenty-one
Rokujû 60
Hyakû 100
Sen 1000
Gosen 5000
Shodan First degree
Nidan Second degree
Sandan Third degree
Yondan Fourth Degree
Godan Fifth Degree

Yogo Terminology
Karate Empty hands
Dojo Training place
Shihan Master
Sensei Teacher
Sempai Senior (Higher belt)
Dohai Equal (Same belt)
Kohai Junior (Lower belt)
Obi Belt
Keiotsuke Attention
Hajime Begin
Yame Stop

2
KARATE US
+1 415 967 8088
www.KarateUS.com

Karate-Ka Karate student

Karate-Gi Karate uniform
Otagi Ni Bow to each other
Rei Bow
Oss A word showing respect
Mawatte Turn around
Form (an arranged pattern of attack and defense techniques against
Kata
multiple imaginary opponents)

Dôjô Commands

Hajime Begin. Hayaku Hurry up. (Quickly.)

Ki-o-tsuke Attention. Pay attention. Matte Wait. Stop.
Mawatte Turn around. Môichido One more time.
Mokusô hajime Meditation begins. Mokusô yame Meditation ends.
Naotte Return to the Yoi. Narande Line up.
Ô-tigai ni rei Bow to each other. Ô-tigai ni tashi Face each other.
Rei Bow. Sensei ni rei Bow to the teacher.
Shômen ni rei Bow to the front. Shomen ni tashi Face the front
Suware Sit Tare Stand up.
Yame Stop. Yasume Rest or relax.
Yoi Ready Yoshi Continue

Shotokan Karate Kata Names

TAIKYO KYU - First Cause
HEIAN SHODAN - Peaceful Mind First Level
HEIAN NIDAN - Peaceful Mind Second Level
HEIAN SANDAN - Peaceful Mind Third Level
HEIAN YONDAN - Peaceful Mind Fourth Level
HEIAN GODAN - Peaceful Mind Fifth Level From Heian Ante meaning peace and calmness, taken
from the city of Heian
TEKKI SHODAN - Horse Riding First Level
TEKKI NIDAN - Horse Riding Second Level
TEKKI SANDAN - Horse Riding Third Level
BASSAI DAI - To penetrate a fortress Major*

3
KARATE US
+1 415 967 8088
www.KarateUS.com

BASSAI SHO - To penetrate a fortress Minor*

KANKU DAI - Viewing the Sky Major*
KANKU SHO - Viewing the Sky Minor*
HANGESTSU - Half Moon**
EMPI - Flying Swallow
GANKAKU - Crane on a Rock
JITTE - Ten Hands (sometimes spelt JUTTE)
JI-ON - From the temple of Jion
JI-IN - Temple grounds
CHINTE - Strange Hands
MEIKYO - Polished Mirror
NIJUSHIHO - Twenty Four Steps
SOCHIN - Immovable in the face of danger
WANKAN - A proper name, King's Crown.
UNSU - Hands in the cloud
GOJUSHIHO SHO - Fifty Four Steps Minor*
GOJUSHIHO DAI - Fifty Four Steps Major*

Shotokan Karate Postures

HIDARI KAMAE Left Posture. Used to describe when your left side is forward in a stance
JIYU KAMAE Free Sparring Posture
KAMAE Posture or Stance. Kamae is sometimes spelt GAMAE
KAMAETE A command given by the instructor for students to get into position.
A stance where the fists are held one above the other against one of the
KOSHI KAMAE
hips. Seen in the kata Heian Yondan
Right Posture. Used to describe when your right side is forward in a
MIGI KAMAE .
stance.
ZANSHIN KAMAE Awareness posture.

Shotokan Karate Punches

TSUKI PUNCHES
GYAKU TSUKI Reverse Punch
KIZAMI TSUKI Jabbing Punch
OI-TSUKI Lunge punch
A series of three punches, generally the first is OI TSUKI JODAN, followed by a slight
SANBON TSUKI pause then, CHUDAN GYAKU TSUKI. immediately followed by CHUDAN TSUKI,
but it can be performed with three punches to the same target
TSUKI A punch or thrust.

4
KARATE US
+1 415 967 8088
www.KarateUS.com

A different spelling of TSUKI. You would use the spelling 'Zuki' when you are adding
ZUKI
the word to another. You use the spelling 'Tsuki' when it is said by itself

Shotokan Karate Stances

DACHI STANCES
KIBA DACHI Straddle Stance. Also known as HORSE RIDING STANCE
KOKUTSU DACHI Back Stance
ZENKUTSU DACHI Forward Stance. The actual translation means Front Knee Bent Stance.

Shotokan Karate Blocks

UKE Blocks
AGE UKE Upper Rising Block. Used generally to guard against an attack to the face
CHUDAN UDE UKE Middle Level Forearm Block, blocking an attack to the mid-section
CHUDAN UKE Middle Level Block. A general term for middle level blocks
Lower Level Sweep. Normally the first move students make prior to going on to
do their combinations, one of the reason's for this is so that the first move in
GEDAN BARAI
Karate is a block which demonstrates that Karate is for self-defense. When we
call Gedan Barai it is really a shortened version of Gedan Barai Uke
GEDAN UKE Lower Level Block
JUJI UKE X Block
MOROTE UKE Augmented Block
SHUTO UKE Knife-hand Block
SOTO UDE UKE Outside Forearm Block or sometimes said as Lower Wrist Block
SOTO UKE Outside Block, normally a shortened version of Soto Ude Uke
UCHI UDE UKE Inside Forearm Block
UCHI-UKE Inside Block generally used as a short version of Uchi Ude Uke
UDE UKE Forearm Block
Back Fist Block. For when the Back Fist is used as a block. This application is
URAKEN UKE
seen in the Kata Heian Nidan

Shotokan Karate Kicks

GERI KICKS & ASHI WAZA - LEG TECHNIQUES
ASHI BARAI Foot/Leg Sweep
Kick When using the spelling of 'geri' it should be added to another word to
GERI describe the kick. Geri used by itself would mean diahorrea. Also see KERI
and Keru.
HIZA GERI (strike) Knee Kick
'Kick Up' in karate we use this when describing snapping as opposed to
KEAGE
thrusting kicks. But see Keriage
KEKOMI Thrust Kick (Literally, Kick Into/Straight). See Kerikomi

5
KARATE US
+1 415 967 8088
www.KarateUS.com

Kick, you will see kick spelt this way. Keri by itself is a noun meaning kick
KERI coming from the verb Keru "To kick", The normal spelling used on this site
is GERI
MAE GERI Front Kick
MAE GERI KEAGE Front Snapping Kick
MAE GERI KEKOMI Front Thrust Kick
MAWASHI GERI Roundhouse Kick.
MIKAZUKI GERI Crescent Kick
NIDAN GERI Double Kick, as seen at the end of the Kata KANKU DA
REN-GERI Consecutive Kicking, alternate kicking i.e. left and then right
USHIRO GERI Back Kick
YOKO GERI Side Kick
YOKO GERI KEAGE Side Snap Kick
YOKO GERI KEKOMI Side Thrust Kick. Also referred to as YOKO KEKOMI

Shotokan Karate Strikes

UCHI STRIKES
Upward Elbow Strike. Sometimes called TATE EMPI UCHI. seen in the kata
AGE-EMPI UCHI
Nijushiho
HAITO UCHI Ridge-hand Strike
HIJI-ATE Elbow strike, also called EMPI UCHI.
HIJI ATEMI or HIJI ATE Elbow Strikes.
NUKITE Spear Hand
URAKEN UCHI Back Fist Strike
USHIRO MAWASHI -
Back Roundhouse Elbow Strike
EMPI UCHI
YOKO EMPI UCHI Side Elbow Strike