The information below is adapted from https://ska.org/news/about-2/glossary/ where it is available to SKA members, only. The original includes recordings of each term, where you can click on each term to hear the recording.
Glossary of English and Japanese Terms
Pronunciation keys of Japanese terms are given in parentheses.
How to read Japanese in English alphabet (rōmaji):
English vowels a=ah , i = ee , u=oo , e=eh and o=oh
A macron or a line over a vowel indicates that it is pronounced for twice the length of the vowel without a macron or a line. Sometimes an “h” is added instead, as in Mr. Ohshima’s name. The first “o” in Mr. Ono’s name, on the other hand, is not lengthened. Ohno and Ono are two different names. However, these sounds are just approximations and there are some exceptions.
Please note that the pronunciation keys given here are only approximations and are primarily designed for the members in the U.S. and Canada. They may not necessarily be helpful for the members of international affiliates.
| Numbers | |
| One | ichi (ee-chee) |
| Two | ni (nee) |
| Three | san (sahn) |
| Four | shi (shee) |
| Five | go (goh) |
| Six | roku (roh-koo) |
| Seven | shichi (shee-chee) |
| Eight | hachi (hah-chee) |
| Nine | ku (koo) / kyū (kyoo) |
| Ten | jū (joo) |
| General | |
| Head instructor/Master instructor (of an organization) | shihan (shee-hahn) |
| Instructor | sensei (sehn-seh-ee) |
| Training hall | dōjō (doh-joh) |
| Training uniform | keiko gi (keh-ee-koh gee) / gi (gee) / dōgi (doh-gee) |
| Training uniform belt | obi (oh-bee) |
| Vocal expulsion of air | kiai (kee-ah-ee) |
| Black Belt rank | dan (dahn) |
| White/Brown belt rank | kyū (kyoo) |
| Meditation | mokusō (moh-koo-soh) |
| Bow | rei (reh-ee)/lei (leh-ee) |
| Assume stance | kamaete (kah-mah-eh-teh) |
| Get ready | yōi (yoh-ee) |
| Begin | hajime (hah-jee-meh) |
| Pivot/assume opposite direction | kaette (kah-eht-teh) |
| Stop | yame (yah-meh) |
| At ease | yasume (yah-soo-meh) |
| Basic training | kihon (kee-hohn) |
| Formal exercise/forms | kata (kah-tah) |
| Sparring | kumite (koo-mee-teh) |
| Escape techniques | torite (toh-ree-teh) |
| Throwing techniques | nagewaza (nah-geh-wah-zah) |
| Foot sweep | ashibarai (ah-shee-bah-rah-ee) |
| Maximum effectiveness/ focus of techniques | kime (kee-meh) |
| Pulling hand | hikite (hee-kee-teh) |
| Breathing center in lower abdomen | tanden (tahn-dehn) |
| Getting into the opponent | irimi (ee-ree-mee) |
| Elbow Attacks | enpi (ehn-pee)/ empi(ehm-pee) |
| Jumping-in attack | tobikomi (toh-bee-koh-mee) |
| Continuous Techniques | renzoku waza (rehn-zoh-koo wah-zah) |
| Punching board | makiwara (mah-kee-wah-rah) |
| Staff | bō (boh) |
| Standing Forms | Tachikata (tah-chee-kah-tah). Tachi (tah-chee) changes to dachi (dah-chee) when used after other words. |
| Front stance | zenkutsu-dachi (zehn-koo-tsoo-dah-chee) |
| Back stance | kōkutsu-dachi (koh-koo-tsoo-dah-chee) |
| Horse riding stance | kiba-dachi (kee-bah-dah-chee) |
| Immovable stance | fudō-dachi (foo-doh-dah-chee) |
| Cat stance | nekoashi-dachi (neh-koh-ah-shee-dah-chee) |
| Natural stance | shizentai (shee-zehn-tah-ee) |
| Close-leg stance | heisoku-dachi (heh-ee-soh-koo-dah-chee) |
| Half-facing stance | hanmi-dachi (hahn-mee-dah-chee) |
| Open-leg stance | hachiji-dachi (hah-chee-jee-dah-chee) |
| Blocks | Uke (oo-keh) Harai (hah-rah-ee) changes to barai (bah-rah-ee) when used after other words. Harai is one kind of block. |
| Downward block | gedan-barai (geh-dahn-bah-rah-ee) |
| Rising block | age-uke (ah-geh-oo-keh) |
| Forearm block | ude-uke (oo-deh-oo-keh) |
| Hammer block | tetsui-uke (teh-tsoo-ee-oo-keh)/ tettsui-uke (teht-tsoo-ee-oo-keh) |
| Knife-hand block | shutō-uke (shoo-toh-oo-keh) |
| Cross-arm block | jūji-uke (joo-jee-oo-keh) |
| Two-hand block | morote-uke (moh-roh-the-oo-keh) |
| Palm-heel block | teishō-uke (teh-ee-shoh-oo-keh) |
| Hand Techniques | Te Waza (teh-wah-zah). Thrust tsuki (tsoo-kee) changes to zuki (zoo-kee) when used after other words. |
| Lunge punch | oi-zuki (oh-ee-zoo-kee) |
| Reverse punch | gyaku-zuki (gyah-koo-zoo-kee) |
| Jab | maete (mah-eh-teh) |
| Continuous punches alternating hands | bari-bari (bah-ree-bah-ree) |
| Continuous punching attacks | renzoku-zuki (rehn-zoh-koo-zoo-kee)/ ren-zuki (rehn-zoo-kee) |
| Punching with horse riding stance | kibadachi-zuki (kee-bah-dah-chee-zoo-kee) |
| Double punch | morote-zuki (moh-roh-teh-zoo-kee) |
| Hook punch | kagi-zuki (kah-gee-zoo-kee) |
| Palm-heel | teishō (teh-ee-shoh) |
| Rising punch | age-zuki (ah-geh-zoo-kee) |
| Striking Techniques | Uchi Waza (oo-chee-wah-zah) |
| Back-fist strike | uraken-uchi (oo-rah-kehn-oo-chee) |
| Bottom-fist strike | tetsui-uchi (teh-tsoo-ee-oo-chee) / tettsui-uchi (teht-tsoo-ee-oo-chee) |
| Knife-hand strike | shutō-uchi (shoo-toh-oo-chee) |
| Spear-hand | nukite (noo-kee-teh) |
| Two-finger spear-hand | nihon-nukite (nee-hohn-noo-kee-teh) |
| Fore-fist | seiken (seh-ee-kehn) |
| Fore-knuckle fist | hiraken (hee-rah-kehn) |
| One-knuckle fist | ippon-ken (eep-pohn-kehn) |
| Middle finger/knuckle fist | nakadaka-ken (nah-kah-dah-kah-kehn) |
| Ridge-hand | haitō (hah-ee-toh) |
| Kicks | Keri (keh-ree) changes to geri (geh-ree) when used after other words. |
| Front kick | mae-geri (mah-eh-geh-ree) |
| Round kick | mawashi-geri (mah-wah-shee-geh-ree) |
| Side-thrust kick | yokogeri-kekomi (yoh-koh-geh-ree-keh-koh-mee) |
| Side-up kick | yokogeri-keage (yoh-koh-geh-ree-keh-ah-geh) |
| Crescent kick | mikazuki-geri (mee-kah-zoo-kee-geh-ree) |
| Stamping kick | fumikomi (foo-mee-koh-mee) |
| Rear kick | ushiro-geri (oo-shee-roh-geh-ree) |
| Double front kick | nidan-geri (nee-dahn-geh-ree) |
| Flying front kick | tobi-geri (toh-bee-geh-ree) |
| Flying side-thrust kick | tobi-yokogeri (toh-bee-yoh-koh-geh-ree) |
| Front kick with front leg | maeashi-geri (mah-eh-ah-shee-geh-ree) |
| Front-thrust kick | maeashi-kekomi (mah-eh-ah-shee-keh-koh-mee) |
| Continuous kicks | renzoku-geri (rehn-zoh-koo-geh-ree) |
| Foot edge | sokutō (soh-koo-toh) |
| Heel | kakato (kah-kah-toh) |
| Kneecap | hizagashira (hee-zah-gah-shee-rah) |
| Sparring | Kumite (koo-mee-teh) often becomes gumite (goo-mee-teh) when used after other words. |
| Basic one-time sparring | kihon ippon gumite (kee-hohn eep-pohn goo-mee-teh) |
| Free one-time sparring | jiyū-ippon gumite (jee-yoo-eep-pohn goo-mee-teh) |
| Three-time sparring | sanbon gumite (sahn-bohn goo-mee-teh) |
| Five-time sparring | gohon gumite (goh-hohn goo-mee-teh) |
| Free-style | jiyū kumite (jee-yoo koo-mee-teh) |
| Upper body | jōdan (joh-dahn) |
| Middle body | chūdan (choo-dahn) |
| Lower body | gedan (geh-dahn) |
| Distance, timing, and other things between opponents | ma (mah) |
| Match | shiai (shee-ah-ee) |
| Bow | rei (reh-ee) / lei (leh-ee) |
| One point match | shōbu ippon (shoh-boo eep-pohn) |
| Begin | hajime (hah-jee-meh) |
| Stop | yame (yah-meh) |
| Clash | aiuchi (ah-ee-oo-chee) |
| I award no point | torimasen (toh-ree-mah-sehn) |
| Continue | tsuzukete (tsoo-zoo-keh-teh) |
| One more time | mō ichido (moh ee-chee-doh) |
| End of match | soko made (soh-koh mah-deh) / sore made (soh-reh mah-deh) |
| Half-point | waza ari (wah-zah ah-ree) |
| Point | ippon (eep-pohn) |
| Two half-points equal one point | waza ari awasete ippon (wah-zah ah-ree ah-wah-seh-teh eep-pohn) |
| Draw | hikiwake (hee-kee-wah-keh) |
| Red | aka (ah-kah) |
| White | shiro (shee-roh) |
| Red is the winner | aka no kachi (ah-kah noh kah-chee) |
| Referee | shinpan (sheen-pahn) / shimpan (sheem-pahn) |
| Throwing Techniques | Nagewaza (nah-geh-wah-zah) |
| To topple a folding screen | Byōbudaoshi (byoh-boo-dah-oh-shee) |
| Spinning top | Komanage (koh-mah-nah-geh) |
| Encircle the neck | Kubiwa (koo-bee-wah) |
| Half wheel | Katawaguruma (kah-tah-wah-goo-roo-mah) |
| ‘V’ turning swallow | Tsubamegaeshi (tsoo-bah-meh-gah-eh-shee) |
| To spear a ball | Yaridama (yah-ree-dah-mah) |
| To push off a cliff | Taniotoshi (tah-nee-oh-toh-shee) |
| To encircle with the arm | Udewa (oo-deh-wah) |
| To hammer upside down | Sakatsuchi (sah-kah-tsoo-chee) |
| Performer of the technique | tori (toh-ree) |
| Receiver of the technique | uke (oo-keh) |
| Falling techniques | ukemi (oo-keh-mee) |
For more information on nagewaza, please refer to Karate-Dō Kyōhan, pages 227-232.
- Notes
When Shihan or Sensei is used as an honorific or a title, there are a few important things one needs to be aware of:
Shihan or Sensei is attached to the end of the person’s family name, e.g., Ohshima Shihan (not Shihan Ohshima), Ohshima Sensei (not Sensei Ohshima)
According to the Japanese culture, it is not appropriate to call oneself Shihan or Sensei, or introduce oneself with the title Shihan or Sensei, e.g., Instructor John Doe shouldn’t call himself Shihan, Sensei, Doe Shihan or Doe Sensei. His students can, but he shouldn’t.
The same thing applies to the honorific san (meaning Mr., Mrs., or Miss). Mr. John Smith shouldn’t call himself Smith-san or John Smith-san. San can be attached only to the end of others' names.
Adapted from Shotokan Karate of America website