Japanese Terminology
Kyu / Dan Grade System
White Belt - Beginner Level Orange Belt - 9th Kyu Red Belt - 8th Kyu
Yellow Belt - 7th Kyu Green Belt - 6th Kyu Purple Belt - 5th Kyu
Purple-White Belt - 4th Kyu Brown Belt - 3rd Kyu Brown-White Belt - 2nd Kyu
Brown-White (2) - 1st kyu Black-Belt - 1st Dan Shodan
Numerical system ichi - 1 ni - 2 san - 3 shi or yon - 4 go - 5 roku - 6
shichi or nana - 7 hachi - 8 kyu or ku - 9 ju - 10
Different levels & directions
jodan - upper level hidari - left chudan - middle level migi - right
gedan - lower level mae - forward hiza shita - below the knee yoko - sideways uchi - inside ushiro - backward soto - outside
Elements of Karate training kihon - basic training kumite - sparring kata - form gohon kumite - five-step sparring
sentei kata - selected kata sanbon kumite - three-step sparring
shitei kata - designated kata ippon kumite - one-step sparring
tokui kata - favourite kata jiyu kumite - freestyle sparring
bunkai - application oyo kumite - application sparring
Instructions during training
yoi - prepare / get ready tsuyoku - strongly / powerfully
hajime - start / begin hayaku - quickly / fast
mawatte - turn yukkuri - slowly
yame - stop naore - recover / return to normal
In the Dojo
dojo - practice room seiretsu - line up!
do-gi - karate uniform mokuso - meditation
obi - karate belt mokuso yame - end the meditation!
sensei - instructor rei - bow
shihan - teacher of higher rank shomen ni rei - bow to the front
deshi - student sensei ni rei - bow to the instructor
sempai - one's senior otagai ni rei - bow to each other
kohai - one's junior shinza ni rei - bow to ancestors of the art
dohai - one's equal kiritsu - stand up!
Punching Techniques Kicking Techniques
age zuki - rising punch mae geri - front kick
choku zuki - straight punch mawashi geri - round-house kick
gyaka zuki - reverse punch mikazuki geri - crescent kick
jun zuki / oi zuki - stepping punch tobi geri - jump kick
kagi zuki - hook punch ushiro geri - back kick
kizami zuki - jab yoko geri - side kick
mawashi zuki - round-house punch keage - snap kick
yama zuki - mountain punch kekomi - thrust kick
Blocking Techniques
age uke - rising block
gedan barai - downward block
haiwan uke - back arm block
morote uke - double arm block
shuto uke - sword hand block
soto uke - outside block
uchi uke - inside block