| Beginner Terms |
| Romaji |
Pronounciation |
English |
| Shotokan |
show-toe-kahn |
"House of Shoto" |
| karate |
kah-rah-tay |
"empty hands" |
| dojo |
doe-joe |
"place of enlightenment", physical place where training or education is done. |
| gi |
gee |
"uniform" |
| karate gi |
kah-rah-tay gee |
Karate training uniform |
| waza |
wah-zah |
technique(s) |
| kiai |
kee-eye |
"spirit shout" |
| kihon |
kee-hone |
basics, fundamentals |
| kata |
kah-tah |
practice forms |
| kumite |
koo-mee-tay |
sparring |
| gohon kumite |
goe-hone koo-mee-tay |
five-step sparring |
| |
| Intermediate Terms |
| Romaji |
Pronounciation |
English |
| karateka |
kah-rah-tay-kah |
"karate folk", students of karate |
| gasshuku |
gah-sh'koo |
special training session |
| hombu dojo |
home-boo doe-joe |
central or main dojo (of an organization) |
| shomen |
show-mehn |
front (of the dojo) |
| kami dana |
kah-mee dah-nah |
ceremonial altar or shrine (in a dojo, usually at the front) |
| reigi |
ray-gee |
etiquette |
| kun |
koon |
creed, code or motto |
| dojo kun |
doe-joe koon |
a particular school's creed or code |
| do |
doe |
Japanese pronunciation of he Chinese word Tao. way (to or of enlightenment) |
| bu |
boo |
martial |
| bushi |
boo-shee |
warrior |
| karate-do |
kah-rah-tay-doe |
The path to enlightenment through studying karate |
| budo |
boo-doe |
Way of the martial arts |
| bushido |
boo-shee-doe |
Way of the warrior |
| ki |
kee |
spirit |
| kime |
kee-may |
focus (of power or attention) |
| hiki |
hee-kee |
"to pull" |
| hikite |
hee-kee-tay |
pulling hand, pullback hand |
| embusen |
em-boo-sehn |
floor pattern, a kata's performance line |
| bunkai |
boon-k'eye |
kata interpretation |
| oyo |
oh-yoh |
kata application |
| yakusoku kumite |
yahk-so-koo koo-mee-tay |
"promise", dedicated, or pre-meditated sparring |
| ippon kumite |
eep-pone koo-mee-tay |
"one-point" or one-technique sparring |
| jiyyu kumite |
jee-yoo koo-mee-tay |
free-style sparring |
| maai |
mah-eye |
distance |
| yori ashi |
yoh-ree ah-shee |
(movement by) sliding the feet |
| tai sabaki |
tie sah-bah-kee |
body shifting or slipping |
| ashi barai |
ah-shee bah-r'eye |
leg or foot sweep |
| |
| Advanced Terms |
| Romaji |
Pronounciation |
English |
| ryu |
r'yoo |
school (style) |
| kai |
k'eye |
school (organization) |
| jitsu or jutsu |
jih-t'soo/juh-t'soo |
system of fighting techniques, fighting style |
| Shorin-ryu |
show-reen r'yoo |
light and fast style of karate |
| Shaolin-ryu |
show-lihn r'oo |
another name for Shorin-ryu |
| Shorei-ryu |
show-ray r'yoo |
strong, powerful style of karate |
| To-te jitsu |
toe-tay |
old name for karate |
| Shuri-te |
shoo-ree tay |
another old name for karate, karate from Shuri |
| Naha-te |
nah-hah tay |
karate from Naha |
| Tomari-te |
toe-mar-ee tay |
karate from Tomari |
| go |
go |
hard |
| ju |
joo |
soft |
| kensai |
ken-say |
feint |
| nage |
nah-gay |
throw |
| kuzushi |
koo-zoo-shee |
loss of balance |
| kokyu |
koh-k'yoo |
deep breathing |
