A
Abunai - dangerous.
Aka - red.
Antei - balance or stability
Ashi - foot, feet, leg or legs.
Ashi barai - foot or leg sweep.
Ashi guruma - leg wheel. Attacker is thrown or pulled over your reaping leg.
A so desu ka - the phrase Oh, is that so?
Atama - One's head.
Atoshibaraku - a few seconds left.
Atsui - hot. As in temperature or as in spicy food.

B
Benjo - bathroom.
Bo - a wooden staff or stick.
Budo - way to stop war or aggression.
Bunkai - having to be cut into many parts. Intelectual analysis of the parts of kata.
Bushi - warrior.
Bushido - way of the warrior.
Butokuden - the hall of martial virtues.

C
Chakugan - the spot on which you place your sight.
Chantan Yara - Martial arts teacher, said to have taught in the Tomari district of Okinawa.
Cha obi - brown belt. There are three levels of brown belt.
Chiisai - smalll, as in size or stature.
Chito-ryu - a Japanese style of Karate-do founded by Dr. Tsuyoshi Chitose (1898 -1984).
Choku zuki - straight punch.
Chotto matte rttei kudasai - just a moment please.
Chuan Fa - a generic term for styles of Chinese fighting.
Chudan - middle area.

D
Dai - large, great or major.
Dan - literally means step, as in stages. These are generallly the stages of the black belt.
Dan zuki - consecutive punches with the same hand.
De ashi barai - a sweeping attack to an opponent's forward or advancing leg or foot.Densho - a written record of a ryuha's most important techniques and philosophies.
Deshi - disciple or follower of the way.
Do - the way.
Dogi - the formal name for the prescribed uniform worn during lessons.
Dojo - a place to learn the way.
Dojo Kun - dojo oath.
Domo - adverb meaning very much or indeed. Often times incorrectly used for thanks.
Domo arigato gozaimasu - thank you very much.
Dozo – please.

E
Ei - one of the traditional kiai sounds. Included are ya, toh and ai.
Eiku - Okinawan boat oar.
Enbu - A demonstration or presentation.
Enbusen - Both the lines or direction of movement in the performance of a kata.
Enchosen - to prolong a matter of combat.
Enpi - elbow. Also hiji.

F
Fudoshin - inmoveable spirit.
Fukushi - title of a judge or lower level referee.
fumikiri geri - cutting kick.
Furi tsuki - a circular roundhouse punch.

G
Ganbatte - the verbal command of encouragement or to try hard!
Ganmen - face.
Gasshuku - a training camp or training seminar.
natsu gasshuku - summer training camp.
fuyu gasshuku - winter training camp.
Gedan - lower area.
Gedan barai - a large lower or descending sweeping movement.
Genki - Lit: good ki. Being well or healthy in body and spirit.
Geri - to kick.
Giri- a debt of loyalty or of moral obligation.
Godan - the fifth level of black belt.
Goju - hard and soft.
Goju Ryu - a karate-do style founded by Okinawan Chojun Miyagi.
Gomen nasai - I'm sorry
Go no sen - to seize the initiative later.
Go shaku bo - a five foot long wooden staff.
Goten - the hand that is not attacking, but defending at the same time the other hand goes out.
Gyaku - reverse.
Gyaku mawashi geri - a reverse roundhouse kick.
Gyaku tsuki - reverst thrust.

H
Hachi dan - the eighth level of black belt.
Hachiji dachi - the natural open toed stance.
Hachi kyu - the eight beginner's rank.
Hachimaki - Awhile cotton sweat head band.
Hai - yes.
Hai dozo - yes, please.
Haishu uchi - striking with the back of the hand.
Haisoku - the instep of the foot
Haito uchi - striking with the ridge of the hand.
Hajime - the command to begin!
Hajime mashite - How do you do? (to be followed by watashi wa Saito desu, dozo yoroshiku. I am
Saito, please favor me.) Generally used only when meeting someone for the first time.
Hakama - traditional divided skirt like trousers.
Hakutsuru - white crane.
Hana - flower.
Hana - nose.
Hangeki - a counter attack.
Hanko - half hard. A name that Kenwa Mabuni sensei used for his style prior to the adoption of the name Shito Ryu.
Hanmi dachi - a half facing stance.
Hanshi - a honorary title given to a master instructor.
Hansoku - a foul in a martial art sporting contest.
Hantei - decision. As in a match.
Han zenkutsu dachi - a half length forward stance.
Happo - eight directions.
Hara - belly. The seat of all physical consciousness.
Harai uke - a sweeping deflection or block.
Hayaku - speed or acceleration. Used as a training command to encourage a student to move quicker.
Heian - the Heian period of Japanese history was roughly from 794 - 1185. The capital was moved
to Kyoto.
Heian kata- The basic kata series taught by Gichen Funakoshi. Funakoshi alterred the Pinan and
changed their names to Heian. He also switched the order of the kata believing that the second kata, Pinan Nidan was easier to learn first, with Pinan Shodan taught second. Funakoshi sensei learned the Pinan series from Kenwa Mabuni.
Heiho - referring to combative stategy.
Heiko - parallel.
Heisoku - instep.
Henka - variations.
Henshu - switching hands.
Hidari - left.
Hiji - elbow.
Hiki - withdraw. To pull back.
Hiki te - pulling hand.
Hiraken uchi - a hand strike or punch using the second knuckles.
Hito - a human. People.
Hitsui - One's knees.
Hiza - Knee.
Hiza geri - knee kick.
Honbu - Headquarters dojo.(spelled with an N but pronounced as an M.)
Hone - bones.

I
laido - the way of drawing a weapon.
laito - a practice katana.
Ibuki - breath control techniques.
ichi - the number, one.
Ichiban - Number One. The best.
lie - no.
Ikimasu - to go.
Ikkyu - the final grade of the mudansha (colored belt) ranks.
Ippon - one point associated with combative fighting matches.
Ippon ken - one knucle fist.
Ippon shobu - one point match.
Irrashai masu - the verbal greeting welcome, come in.

J
Ja mata - see you later.
Jiin - kata meaning temple ground.
Jikan - time out.
Jion - kata meaning temple sound.
Jiite - kata meaning temple hand.
Jiyu - free or unrehearsed.
Jiyu kumite - Free sparring.
Jodan - upper level.
Jogai - out of bounds.
Ju -the number 10.
Judan - the tenth level of yudansha, or black belt ranks.
Juji - crossed or to cross.
Juji uke - cross hands block.
Ju kumite - a soft flowing style of sparring training. This type of training eliminates speed, thus devel-
oping rhythm and timing.
Juroku - an intermnediate level kata formulated by Kenwa Mabuni meaning 16.
Jushin no antei - correct stability of the center of gravity.
Jutsu - a suffix that denotes an art or science, one that deals with actual combative application as its forte, verses the do methods which are not meant for combat, but as a vehicle for personal, moral and spiritual development.

K
Kachi - victory. To win.
Kagato - one's heel. (also kakato)
kagato geri - a kick with the heel of the foot.
Kage - shadow.
Kagi - hook.
Kagi tsuki - hook punch.
Kai - the Japanese name for a boat oar.
Kaicho - the leader or founder of a group or style. A headmaster of a style.
Kaiden - referring to deep initiation to a schools principles and techniques.
Kake - hook.
Kakiwake uke - wedge block.
Kakushite - hidden hands.
Kakuto uchi - striking with the bent wrist.
Kama - a classical weapon made up of a wooden handle with a sharpened curved blade protruding
at a right angle on one end.
Kamae - a term used to refer to a posture.
Kamae te - the verbal command to assume a direct posture.
Kan - a building or school.
Kancho - a casual title sometimes given to the founder of a ryu.
Kan geiko - morning or winter training. This exhaustive annual training generally taking place out-side, on the coldest day of winter.
Kanji - Chinese written characters, used by Japanese along with hiragana and katakana.
Kankyu - speed.
Kansa - arbitrator.
Kansetsu - joint.
Kansetsu geri - joint kick.
Kao - face.
Kara - empty or void of something.
karada - body.
Karate - an Okinawan and subsequently Japanese Gendai Budo (martial way).
Karate-do - simplistically put, the way of karate.
Karateka - A casual term used to refer to a student of karate. The more polite way to refer to a serious student would be a deshi or student disciple.
Karate ni sente nashi - there is no first attack in karate, or no initial aggressiveness.
Kata - form, shape or pattern.
Kata - one's shoulder.
Katakana - the ideographs used to translate foreign language sounds in Japanese.
Katchi - victory. To win.
Kaze - wind.
Ke age geri - rising kick.
Keiko - training or practice class, not limited to to just physical training.
Keizu - geological table. The family tree of founders, headmasters, instructors and at times, students.
Kekomi - to thrust in.
Kempo - the pronunciation of what should be spelled kenpo. Kenpo is what the Japanese and
Okinawans callled the Chinese external pugilistic fighting arts.
Ken - fist or sword.
Kyudan - the second highest rank in the kyu/dan ranking system.
Kyushaku bo - a nine foot wooden staff.

M
Maai - spatial distance.
Mabuni Kenwa - the founder of Shito-ryu Karate-do.
Mae - front.
Mae geri - front kick.
Make - defeat.
Makiwara - to wrap with straw, also referred to a striking post.
Man'naka - the center.
Matsukaze - pine tree wind. Also a name of a kata with variations from the kata Wankan.
Matte - the verbal command, or request to wait\
Mawashi geri - a rotaing kick, most commonly called a roundhouse kick.
Mawashi tsuki - a roundhouse punch.
Mawatte - the verbal command to rotate.
Me - eyes.
Meijin - one who is considered a martial arts genius.
Menkyo kaiden - the levels off rank, or understanding in a classical ryu. Differing from the modern
practice of awarding rank based upon skills in the modern martial arts ways, menkyo kaiden ranks
are most often awarded on the level of understanding more so than the physical prowess.
Metsuke - eye contact. Focal point. Eye control.
Michi - path, or way.
Migi - right, the right side, or to the right.
Mikazuki - crescent moon.
Mikzuki geri - crescent kick.
Misete kudasai - the verbal request please show me.
Mite - a verbal command to look
Miyagi, Chojun - Miyagi is the Japanese pronunciation of the Okinawan name Miyagusuku. He is
best known for being the founder of what is called Goju Ryu karate-do.
Mizu - water.
Mizu no kokoro - mind like water.
Mokuso - to bring your mind to the present.
Moto dachi - a short fighting stance. At times the rear foot heel is raised.
Mu -simplistically this refers to the state of nothingness; the empty mind, void of all conscious thoughts.
Mudansha - those without rank.
Mune - one's chest.
Musubi dachi - an informal attention stance where the heels are together and the toes pointed outward.

N
Nafuda - name tag. In traditional dojo, these are made out of small strips of wood.
Nagashi - flowing.
Nage - the contraction of the word nagemasu (throw).
Naha - the major seaport town on the island of Okinawa.
Nahate - martial arts ways that came from instructors in and around the area of Naha.
Naihanchi - the Okinawan Karate-do name for the classical kata performed in the horse riding
stance.
Naka - middle.
Nakadaka ken - fist with the 2nd knuckle of the middle finger protruding.
Naka uke - middle level reception, or deflection from outside to inside.
Nami ashi - the wave foot. Referring to a foot movement wherein one lifts one's leg to to avoid, or
flow with, a strike or sweeping technique.
Nanadan - the name of the seventh black belt.
Naname - diagonal.
Neiseishi - A kata said to refer to the movements and techniques of the Chinese style, referred to as
monk fist boxing.
Neko - cat.
Neko ashi dachi - cat foot stance.
Ni - the number two.
Nidan - the second level of black belt.
Nihon - Japan or Japanese.
Nihon-go - the Japanese language.
Nihon nukite - a two finger, thrusting strike.
Nipaipo - a classical Okinawan kata meaning 28 steps.
Nippon - the same as nihon, but used when referring to Japan.
Nodo - throat.
Nukite - spear hand strike.
Nunchaku - a classical Okinawan weapon. A horse bridle that had a similar construction to weapons
found in China.

O
O - a prefix to denote great or large.
Obi - classically, a wide cloth sash wrapped numerous times around the the waist to warm the
tanden and to support the lower back.
O genki desu ka - how are you?
Okinawa - the largest island in the Ryukyu archipelago.
Okinawa te - Okinawan hand. Often said to have been one of the original indigenous fighting arts of Okinawa.
Omedeto gozaimasu - Congratulations. As spoken to a classmate that has been awarded a new
rank.
Onegai shimasu - I make a request. Commonly used used in the dojo to mean please do this with (for) me.
Oroshi - to strike downward.
Osae - press down.
O sensei - great teacher.
Oshi shinobu osu - be patient with yourselves and with others.
Oshieru - to teach.
Osoi - slow. Without speed.
Osu - a contracted form of Oshi Shinobu Osu. Commonly used to mean, keep trying, try hard, and
having patience. Also commonly head as a greeting, or acknowledgement in a Japanese dojo.
Otagai ni rei - face your fellow students and pay your respects.
Otoshi - drop.
Otsuka, Hironori - the founder of Wado-ryu karate-do.
Oyasumi nasai - good night.
Oyo - application. The physical reenactment of the self defense or combative scenarios within a kata.

P
Pachu - an Okinawan Ryuei ryu kata, meaning to twirl a ball.
Passai - classical Okinawan kata, called Bassai by the Japanese, meaning to breach a fortress.
Pinan - peaceful way.

R
Rakka - to receive an attack with much force.
Reigi - etiquette, protocol, or courtesy.
Rengo - a federation or alliance.
Renoji dachi - an upright stance with the feet placed in a position that resembles the Roman letter r
Renshi - classical teaching title, generally around the yondan rank in the kyu/dan ranking system.
Not automatically awarded.
Renshu - training, wherein one is learning. The repetitious execution of techniques to inbed them
into the muscle memory.
Rohai - a classical Okinawan kata. Said to be based on the movements of the white heron.Also
called Meikyo.
Roku kyu - the sixth mudansha rank in the kyu/dan ranking system.
Roku - the number six.
Roku dan - the sixth level of yudansha (black belt) ranking in the kyu/dan ranking system.
Roku shaku bo - a six foot hard wood staff.
Romanji - the Roman alphabet.
Ryu - dragon.
Ryu - a traditional style, or school of thought or actions.
Ryuha - multiple or separate schools or styles of any particular art.
Ryusui - to recieve an attack with circular redirection.

S
Sabaki - motion. When you move your legs and feet it is called ashi sabaki. Body movement is
called tai sabaki.
Sagi ashi dachi - the body and foot posture commonly called the crane, or one legged stance.
Sai - a forked trudgeon.
Saifa - final breaking point. A classical kata based on the movements of the monkey.
Sakugawa, Kanga - often referred to as Tode Sakugawa, a student of Kushanku. He is know to be
the most influential teacher of Sokon (Bushi) Matsumura.
Sakugawa no kon - a basic kata of the bo, developed by Tode Sakugawa.
Sakura - the cherry blossom flower.
Samui - cold.
Samurai - one who serves.
San - the number three.
San - the honorific suffix to a formal name, whether they be male or female.
Sanbon kumite - prearranged three attack training scenarios.
Sanbon tsuki - triple alternating punches.
Sanchin - breathing method to harden ones body to withstand attacks.
Sanchin - a classical Okinawan kata meaning man's three internal battles.
Sanchin Dachi - a pidgeon toed, or three point stance.
Sandan - the third level of yudansha in the kyu/dan ranking system.
San kyu - the third level of mudansha in the kyu/dan ranking system.
Sanseiryu - thirty six hands or thirty six schools (ways). Kata deals with close in fighting.
Sasae - to prop, or to support.
Sashite - the verbal command to stab\
Sashi-te - to extend one's hand. To intercept an attack and strike the enemy at the same time.
Sayonara - informal way of saying goodbye. More politely or on formal ocassions the correct phrase
would be shitsurei shimasu.
Sebone - one's spine.
Seiken - a squared fist for punching.
Seipai - an Okinawan kata meaning eighteen hands.
Sei retsu - the verbal command to line up in an orderly fashion.
Seiryuto uchi - striking with the bottom edge of a shuto hand position.
Seisan - an Okinawan kata meaning thirteen. Thirteen techniques against thirteen different attacks.
Seiyunchin - the modern spelling or Seienchin. A classical kata meaning lull in the storm.
Seiza - to sit correctly. Kneeling down in a formal seated position.
Sempai - the one who came before, in a senior/junior relationship.
Sen - initiating or initiative.
Sen no sen - to seize the initiative at the same time or simultaneously with the physical attack.
Sensei - one who was born before. The honorific title for a teacher. Someone who has previously
walked the path that a student wishes to travel and as such, is able to guide the student on their journey.
Sensei ni rei - face the teacher and pay respects.
Sen sen no sen - the highest levie of defense intitiatives in the Japanese combative mindset. To
seize the initiative at the moment of the opponent's intention, but before a perceivable physical action.
Shaku - a linear unit of measure, approximately one foot. Exact measurement is 11.930542 inches.
Shiai - a word to refer to a match or contest.
Shichi - the number seven.
Shichidan - the seventh level of yudansha in the kyu/dan ranking system.
Shidoin - assistant teachers.
Shihan - a honorific title for a teacher who is not only a guide but a role model for those he teaches.
This term comes from shihansha, or the Chinese compass. Like a compass, a shihan must always
(despite exterior circumstances) point the right way.
Shiho - transmission. Four methods, or four corners.
Shikaku - disqualification during a sporting match.
Shikko - a horse riding stance, wider and lower than the Okinawan naihanchi dachi, with the feet
pointed out at thirty degrees.
Shimpa - a shito-ryu specific kata formulated by Kenwa Mabuni, meaning new break.
Shin - truth, true heart, or sincerity.
Shinai - a practice sword made up of bamboo.
Shinken - a live or real sword.
Shinpan - a referee, or judge.
Shiro - the color white.
Shisei - one's form, posture, or moral character.
Shisochin - a classical kata from China, meaning fighting four monks.
Shita - underneath, from below.
Shitachi - in a two person training drill, Shiitachi is the attacker. Uke is the receiver.
Shito Ryu - a style formulated by Kenwa Mabuni in 1928.
Shitsurei shimasu - the verbal apology I'm sorry, excuse me.
Sho - small, lesser, minor. As opposed to Dai.
Shobu - a match, engagement, or fight.
Shodan - first step, or first man. The first black belt awarded in the kyu/dan ranking system.
(Webmaster’s note: Shodan could also mean small, lesser, or minor black belt. A great achivement, but shodan is a beginner with the tools to learn. Shodan is the beginning of the journey, not the end.)
Shodan ho - a probationary shodan ranking or black belt.
Shomen - the front.
Shomen ni rei - the verbal command to face the front and pay respect (bow).
Shotei otoshi uke - a downward palm heel deflection.
Shotei - the heel of one's palm.
Shotokan - the name that was given for the style Gichen Funakoshi formulated. Shoto was Funakoshi's pen name.
Shugyo - rigorous daily training.
Shuhari - the three stages of learning and mastery. Shu (mamoru), the student emulates his master without question. Ha (yabureru), the student begins to formulate his own interpretations to fit his own body and soul. All techniques are mastered. Ri (hanareru), the student embodies the core principles of movement and psychological state. This state takes multiple decades of training and study as well as years of teaching and introspection. At this stage a student needs no other instructor than the art itself.
Shurite - the martial arts practiced in and around the area of Shuri, Okinawa.
Shushin - the referee in a sporting event.
Shushi no kon - a bo kata from Okinawa. Said to have been devised in the early 20th century by an Okinawan kobujutsu teacher by the name of Chinen.
Shuto - sword hand.
Sochin - an Okinawan kata, meaning men or monks of peace.
So desu ka - is that so?
Soke - originally used in feudal Japan to signify a family that had exclusive commercial rights to
something. Today it is used to refer to a current headmaster of a style or school.
Sokutei - the sole of the foot.
Sokuto - the outside, or blade edge of he foot.
Sore made - end of contest. The verbal statement that the match is over.
Soto - exterior or outside.
Sugoi - amazing.
Sukui- scoop.
Sumimasen - excuse me, to get someone's attention.
Suna kake - to flick sand at your opponent.
Sun dome - stopping your attack one inch from the target.
Suparinpe - a classical Okinawan kata sometimes called Peichurin. This kata may contain 108 separate attack and defense scenarios. It is also said that this kata represents the battle of man's 108 evil passions.
Suri ashi - the sliding or gliding step in which the front foot slides forward, and the rear foot slides up to regain the original posture.
Sutemi ni heiho - the combative stategy of sacraficing. To sacrafice, or accept a small injury to oneself in order to inflict a greater injury to one's oponent.
Suwatte - the casual command to sit down.

T
Tabi - the common name for the traditional Japanese split toed cotton socks. Modern ones are rubberized.
Tachi - referring to standing.
Tai - body.
Taikai - grand or large, meeting or gathering.
Tai otoshi - body dropping. To throw an opponent's body to the ground.
Tai sabaki - body movement.
Tanden - also known as hara. One's physical center of gravity.
Tanto - a short blade or knife.
Tatami - floor covering. Traditionally made of straw.
Tate - to stand erect.
Tate tsuki - vertical punch.
Tegua - an often heard term in older Okinawan dojo for the weapons arts practiced there.
Teisho - palm heel.
Te kubi wrist.
Ten - heaven.
Teni - to move one's body from the line of attack.
Tettsui uchi - iron fist strike.
Te waza - hand techniques.
Ti - an Okinawan term for hand.
Tobi - common term for jump, or jumping.
Tobi geri - any jumping kick.
Tode - China Hand.
Tokui - one's favorite.
Tomari te - martial arts practiced in and around the area know as Tomari, Okinawa.
Tomeru - to stop.
Tonfa - an Okinawan hand held weapon that was a mill grinding handle, or a crutch.
Tsubo - pressure point.
Tsukami - grasping.
Tsuki - to thrust.
Tsuki waza - thrusting techniques.

U
Uchi - the contraction of the verb utsu (to strike).
Uchi - inner or inside.
Uchi hachiji dachi - a ready stance with feet turned in. They are positioned as the number eight written in kanji.
Ude - arm, forearm.
Uke - one who initiates the attack and receives the defensive technique.
Uke - the slang translation to block. More correctly from the root word ukeru, to receive.
Undo - any exercise.
Unshu - a karate-do kata meaning cloud hands. Originally taught to Kenwa Mabuni by Aragaki
Seisho.
Ura - back, the back of, or to the rear.
Uraken uchi - to strike with the back of the fist.
Ushiro - to the rear.

W
Wa uke - two arm circular block.
Wado Ryu - a style of Karate formulated by Hironori Otsuka.
Wakari mashita ka - did you understand?
Wakari masu - I understand.
Wakari masuka - Do you understand?
Waki - the side. Side of the chest.
Wansu - also referred to as wanshu. A classical Okinawan kata also called empi.
Washide - eagle hand.
Watashi - I, oneself.
Waza - technique.
Waza no kankyu - speed control.

Y
Yakusoku - prearranged.
Yame - the verbal command to stop!
Yasumi - to break, or to rest.
Yoi - preparation. To prepare your mind for combat. A preparatory instruction to get ready.
Yoko - the side.
Yoko geri - side kick.
Yon - the number four. Also spelled shi.
Yondan - the fourth level of yudansha in the kyu/dan ranking system.
Yonhon nukite - four finger spear hand.
Yonkyu - the fourth mudansha level in the kyu/dan ranking system.
Yori ashi - a forward yori ashi movement consists of stepping forward with the front foot then dragging the rear foot up.
Yowai - weak.
Yubi - finger.
Yudansha - those with rank. Black belt holders.
Yudansha kai - an association of black belt holders, or a governing board of an organization.

Z
Zanshn - remaining mind.
Zenkutsu dachi - a forward leaning training stance.