General Terms

Shomen-ni-rei= Bow to the front
Sensei-ni-rei= Bow to the instructor
Otagai-ni-rei= Bow to each other

Chudan = Middle / stomach level
Dan = Black belt rank
Dojo = Training hall
Gedan = Lower/below waist level

Gi = Uniform

Hai = Yes, or an acknowledgement
Hajime = Begin!
Hidari = Left
Ippon Kumite = One step sparring
Jodan = Head level
Karatedo = Empty hand way
Karateka = Karate practitioner
Kari = Half rank
Kata = Form
Kiai = A spirited shout, or yell, for focus (technically a rapid breath from the diaphragm)
Kihon = Basics
Kime = Focus of a technique
Kizami = Leading side
Kumite = Sparring
Kyu = Color belt rank
Mae = Front
Migi = Right
Obi = Belt
Ossu = acknowledgement / greeting
Rei = Bow
Sanbon Kumite = Three step sparring
Seiza = Formal sitting posture
Sempai = Senior student
Sensei = Teacher
Shiai = A tournament, or competition
Yame = Stop
Zanshin = Continuation of energy / Follow through

Punch and Strike Techniques

Tsuki/Zuki = Punch
Oi Zuki 追突 oy zoo-kee Step-in Punch

Choku Zuki  直突 choh-koo zoo-kee Straight Punch

Kizami Zuki  刻み突 kee-zah-mee zoo-kee Jab Punch

Gyaku Zuki  逆突 gee-ah-koo zoo-kee Reverse Punch

Age Zuki  上げ突 ah-geh zoo-kee Rising Punch

Uraken Uchi  裏拳 oo-rah-ken Back Fist Strike

Nukite 貫手 noo-key-teh Spear-Hand Strike

Empi Uchi  猿臂打 em-pee oo-chee Elbow Strike

Shuto  手刀 shoo-toh Knife-Hand Strike

Haito  背刀 hai-toh Ridge-Hand Strike

Tettsui  鉄槌 teht-soo-ee Hammer-Fist Strike

Kicking Techniques

Geri (geh-ree) = Kick
Mae Geri  前蹴り蹴上げ my gay-ree Front Kick

Mawashi Geri  回し蹴り mah-wah-shee geh-ree Round House Kick
Yoko Geri  横蹴り蹴り yoh-koh geh-ree Side Kick (Chuck Norris kick)

Yoko Keage  横蹴り蹴上げ yoh-koh kay-ah-geh Side Snap Kick

Yoko Kekomi  横蹴り蹴込み yoh-koh kay-koh-mee Side Thrust Kick

Ushiro Geri  後ろ蹴り ew-shee-roh geh-ree Back Thrust Kick

Mikazuki Geri  三日月蹴 mee-kah-zoo-kee geh-ree Crescent Kick

Blocking Techniques

Gedan Barai  下段払い geh-dahn bah-rye Downward Block

Age Uke  上げ受 ah-gay oo-keh Rising Block

Soto Uke  外受 soh-toh oo-keh Outside Block

Uchi Uke  内受 oo-chee oo-keh Inside Block

Shuto Uke  手刀受 shoo-to oo-keh Knife Hand Block

Morote Uke  諸手受 moh-roh-teh oo-keh Augmented block

Jyuuji Uke  十字受 jyoo-jee oo-keh Cross Block

Note: Uke means to ‘receive’ a technique, from the verb ‘ukeru’, but due to initial language barriers, is often translated as ‘block.’

Stances

Dachi = Stance

Musubi Dachi  結び立 moo-soo-bee dah-chee  Heels together / toes turned out 45º / for bowing

Shizentai  自然体 shee-zen-tie Natural Position / feet shoulder width

Kiba Dachi 騎馬立 kee-bah Horse Stance

Zenkutsu Dachi  前屈立 zen-koot-soo Front Stance

Kokutsu Dachi 後屈立 koh-koot-soo Back Stance

Fudo Dachi  不動立 foo-doh Rooted Stance / (also called Sochin Dachi 壯鎭立)

Shiko Dachi  四股立 shee-koh Boat Stance / like Kiba Dachi but with toes out at 45º

Heisoku Dachi  閉足立 hay-so-koo Feet together / heels and toes touching

Kosa Dachi  交差立 koh-sa Crossed Feet Stance

Reinoji Dachi  レの字立 ray-noh-jee “L” Stance / see katas Kanku Dai and Sho

Tsuru Ashi Dachi  鶴足立 soo-roo ah-shee Crane Stance / see kata Gankaku

Sanchin Dachi  三戦立 sahn-chin Hourglass Stance (inner-pressure)

Hangetsu Dachi  半月立 hahn-get-soo Half Moon Stance (inner pressure)

Neko Ashi Dachi  猫足立 nay-koh ah-shee Cat Stance (inner-pressure)

How to Count

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
Kyu (koo) = Nine
Ju (joo) = Ten

Ju-Ichi = Eleven
Ni-Ju-Ichi = Twenty-One
Hyaku (hee-ah koo) = one hundred

Additional Terms

Atemi Waza = Striking Techniques

Bunkai= Breaking down a kata into pieces (generally accepted as ‘applications’)
Embusen = The line/path a kata takes when performing
Kansetsu Waza = Joint Locks

Nage Waza = Throwing Techniques
Oyo= The meaning of kata movements/techniques (used interchangeably with ‘bunkai’ )