Vocabulary

General

Romaji	Kanji	Meaning	Notes	Pronunciation
Kata	方・型・形	Form/pattern, a way of doing something	See Kata	Listen here (opens new window)
Bunkai	分解	Analysis/disassembly, Application	Can refer to applications or analysing something for applications. See Bunkai	Listen here (opens new window)
Oyo	応用	Application		Listen here (opens new window)
Rei	礼	Bow		Listen here (opens new window)
Seiza	正座	Sitting (in seiza style)	See Seiza for a how to	Listen here (opens new window)
Kamae	構え	Guard	There are a number of different kamae, see Kamae for info	Listen here (opens new window)
Mokuso	黙想	Meditation	For tips see Meditation	Listen here (opens new window)
Zanshin	残心	Remaining mind/Being aware		Listen here (opens new window)
Mushin	無心	No mind/not thinking		Listen here (opens new window)

Directions

Romaji	Kanji	Meaning	Notes	Pronunciation
Hidari	左ひだり	Left		Listen here (opens new window)
Migi	右みぎ	Right		Listen here (opens new window)
Mae	前まえ	Front		Listen here (opens new window)
Ushiro	後うしろ	Back		Listen here (opens new window)
Ura	裏うら	Bottom/opposite/reverse side, 'out of sight'/'hidden'	The latter meanings may be of relevance when used with the term 'Omote'. See here for info.	Listen here (opens new window)
Omote	表おもて	Front, Exterior, Surface	The 'Surface' meaning is generally used when this word is used with 'Ura'. See here for info.	Listen here (opens new window)
Yoko	横よこ	Side/Sideways		Listen here (opens new window)
Naname	斜ななめ	Diagonal/Angled		Listen here (opens new window)
Ue	上うえ	Up		Listen here (opens new window)
Shita	下した	Down		Listen here (opens new window)
Naka	中なか	Inside		Listen here (opens new window)
Soto	外そと	Outside		Listen here (opens new window)

Phrases

Romaji	Kanji	Meaning	Notes	Pronunciation
Onegaishimasu	お願ねがいします	Please (give me/do something for me)	In the context of training this usually means "Please teach me"	Listen here (opens new window)
Arigatou Gozaimasu	ありがとうございます	Thank you	This is a reasonably polite way of saying thank you	Listen here (opens new window)
Doumo Arigatou Gozaimasu	どうもありがとうございます	This is a more polite way of saying thank you		Listen here (opens new window)
Ki o tsuke	気きをつけ	At attention		In other contexts it usually means "Be careful/Look out"

Body Parts

Romaji	Japanese	Meaning	Notes	Pronunciation
Jodan	上じょう段だん	Upper Level, Face height (shoulders up)		Listen here (opens new window)
Chudan	中ちゅう段だん	Middle level, chest height (from belt to shoulders)		Listen here (opens new window)
Gedan	下げ段だん	Lower level, area below the belt		Listen here (opens new window)
Ude	腕うで	Arm/Forearm		Listen here (opens new window)
Hiji	肘ひじ	Elbow		Listen here (opens new window)
Tekubi	手て首くび	Wrist	Literally "Hand neck"	Listen here (opens new window)
Te	手て	Hand		Listen here (opens new window)
Ashi	足あし	Leg/Foot		Listen here (opens new window)
Hiza	膝ひざ	Knee		Listen here (opens new window)
Ashikubi	足あし首くび	Ankle	Literally "Leg/foot neck"	Listen here (opens new window)
Kansetsu	関かん節せつ	Joint		Listen here (opens new window)
Kata	肩かた	Shoulder	It's a homonym of Kata (as in forms)	Listen here (opens new window)
Kubi	首くび	Neck		Listen here (opens new window)
Atama	頭あたま	Head		Listen here (opens new window)
Hitai	額ひたい	Forehead		Listen here (opens new window)
Kao	顔かお	Face		Listen here (opens new window)
Men	面めん	Face		Listen here (opens new window)
Mimi	耳みみ	Ear		Listen here (opens new window)
Hana	鼻はな	Nose		Listen here (opens new window)
Jinchuu	人じん中ちゅう	Philtrum	The point just below the nose. Click for more info (opens new window)	Listen here (opens new window)
Me	目め	Eyes		Listen here (opens new window)
Kuchi	口くち	Mouth		Listen here (opens new window)
Ago	顎あご	Chin/Jaw		Listen here (opens new window)
Mune	胸むね	Chest		Listen here (opens new window)
Hara	腹はら	Abs/Stomach		Listen here (opens new window)
Kami	髪かみ	Hair		Listen here (opens new window)

Kata

Romaji	Japanese	Meaning	Notes
Gekisai Dai Ichi	撃げき砕さい第だい一いち	See here
Gekisai Dai Ni	撃げき砕さい第だい二に	See here
Saifa	砕サイ破ファ	See here
Seiyunchin	制セイ引ユン戦チン	See here
Shisochin	四シ向ソウ戦チン	See here	Pronounced "Shi-soo-chin" (long 'o' sound)
Sanseiru	三十六手サンセイル	See here
Seipai	十八手セイパイ	See here
Kururunfa	久留頓破クルルンファ	See here
Seisan	十三手セイサン	See here
Suparinpei	壱百零八手スーパーリンペイ	See here	Pronounced "suu-paa-rin-pee"
Sanchin	三サン戦チン	See here
Tensho	転テン掌ショ	See here

Techniques

Arm Techniques

Romaji	Kanji	Meaning	Notes	Pronunciation
Uke		Receive	Often translated as "block" but this is not really in terms of meaning or use of the techniques
Tsuki	突つき	Thrust/Punch	Often changes to "zuki" when attached to another word	Listen here (opens new window)
Uchi	打うち	Strike/hit/punch		Listen here (opens new window)
Seiken zuki	正せい拳けん突づき	Lit. Correct Fist Punch. Straight punch.		Listen here (opens new window)
Age zuki	上あげ突づき	Rising Punch, Uppercut		Listen here (opens new window)
Kagi zuki	鈎かぎ突づき	Hook Punch	"Hook" as in the shape, like a fish hook.	Listen here (opens new window)
Mawashi zuki	回まわし突づき	Hook punch (literally spinning/rotating Punch)	Seems to be less commonly said (in Japan) than Kagi zuki	Listen here (opens new window)
Yama zuki	山やま突づき	Mountain Punch	Arms are spread wide apart, one high, one low.	Listen here (opens new window)
Awase zuki	合あわせ突づき	Lit. Joined Punch. U-Punch		Listen here (opens new window)
Heiko zuki	並へい行こう突づき	Parallel Punch	Both arms punch straight out parallel to each other	Listen here (opens new window)
Hasami zuki	鋏はさみ突づき	Scissors Punch		Listen here (opens new window)
Nagashi zuki	流ながし突づき	Flowing punch		Listen here (opens new window)
Nakadaka ken (zuki)	中なか高だか拳けん突づき	Middle Finger Knuckle Fist (Punch)	The second knuckle of the middle finger protrudes from the fist.	Listen here (opens new window)
Ko uchi	甲こう打うち	Wrist Strike	Striking using the back of a bent wrist. The wrist shape is known as Koken（甲拳）	Listen here (opens new window)
Kuma de	熊くま手で	Bear hand	Hand shaped like a bear paw	Listen here (opens new window)
Washi de	鷲手	Eagle hand	Hand bent into a claw shape like an eagle's claws	Listen here (opens new window)
Enpi uchi	猿えん臂ぴ打うち	Elbow Strike		Listen here (opens new window)
Enpi zuki	猿えん臂ぴ突づき	Elbow Thrust		Listen here (opens new window)
Kizami zuki	刻きざみ突づき	Jab (Lit. Chopping Thrust/Punch)	Comes from "Kizamu" which means "to chop" something, like when you dice up an onion.	Listen here (opens new window)
Choku zuki/Jika zuki	直ちょく突づき	Straight Punch	Can also be read as Jika zuki (じかづき)	Listen here (opens new window)
Gyaku zuki	逆ぎゃく突づき	Reverse Punch	Punching with the back ("reverse") hand	Listen here (opens new window)
Oi zuki	追おい突づき	Lit. Pursuing Punch, Lunge Punch	Comes from the word "Ou" which means "to pursue".	Listen here (opens new window)
Ura ken (Uchi)	裏うら拳けん打うち	Backfist (Strike)	We normally just say "Ura ken"	Listen here (opens new window)
Ura zuki	裏うら突づき	Back Punch (Short punch)	A short punch with the palm facing upwards	Listen here (opens new window)
Shuto (Uchi)	手しゅ刀とう打うち	Sword hand (strike)	Striking with the pinky finger side of the hand	Listen here (opens new window)
Shotei (Uchi)	掌しょう底てい打うち	Palm Heel (Strike)		Listen here (opens new window)
Haito (Uchi)	背刀打ちはいとうう	Ridge Blade (Strike)	Striking with the thumb side of the hand using the "ridge"	Listen here (opens new window)
Nukite (Zuki)	貫ぬき手て突づき	Spear Hand (Thrust)		Listen here (opens new window)
Hiji ate	肘ひじ当あて	Elbow Strike		Listen here (opens new window)
Tettsui (uchi)	鉄てっ槌つい打うち	Iron Hammer (Strike) aka Hammer fist		Listen here (opens new window)
Hojo Oshi	幇ほう助じょ押おし	Augmented Push	Using one hand to reinforce the push of another	Listen here (opens new window)
Nihon zuki	二に本ほん突づき	Double Punch	A 1-2 combo of straight punches	Listen here (opens new window)
Sanbon zuki	三さん本ぼん突づき	Triple punch	A 1-2-3 punch combo of straight punches	Listen here (opens new window)
Jodan Uke		Upper Receive
Chudan Uke		Middle Receive
Gedan Uke		Lower Receive
Hiki Uke		Pulling Receive
Uchi Uke		Inner Receive
Shotei Uke		Palm Heel Receive
Koken Uke		Wrist-Fist Receive
Haishu Uke		Back-of-Hand Receive
Juu-ji Uke		"Character 10" Receive
Kosa Uke		Cross Receive
Otoshi Uke		Dropping Receive
Sukui Uke		Scooping Receive
Kake Uke		Hooking Receive
Ura Kake Uke		Reverse Hooking Receive
Hari Uke		Bow Receive
Morote Uke		Two Handed Receive
Kuri Uke		Scooping Receive
Mawashi Uke		Rotating Receive
Toraguchi		Tiger Mouth

Leg Techniques

Romaji	Kanji	Meaning	Notes
Maegeri	前まえ蹴げり	Front kick
Kingeri	金きん蹴げり	Groin kick
Mawashigeri	回まわし蹴げり	Spinning/rotating kick (Roundhouse kick)
Ura Mawashigeri	裏うら回まわし蹴げり	Reverse spinning/rotating kick (Reverse roundhouse kick)
Ushirogeri	後うしろ蹴げり	Backward kick
Ushiro Mawashigeri	後うしろ回まわし蹴げり	Backward spinning/rotating kick (Spinning Backward kick)
Fumikomi	踏ふみ込こみ	Stomp
Hizageri	膝ひざ蹴げり	Lit. Knee kick	In Japanese you don't say "knee" you say "knee kick"
Tobi Hizageri	飛とび膝ひざ蹴げり	Jumping knee/Flying knee kick	May involve pulling the targets head down
Kansetsu Geri	関かん節せつ蹴げり	Joint kick	Kick aimed at the knee

Stances

Romaji	Japanese	Meaning	Notes
Musubi Dachi	結び立ちむすだ
Heikou Dachi	平行立ちへいこうだ
Sanchin Dachi	三戦立ちさんちんだ
Heikou Sanchin Dachi	平行三戦立ちへいこうさんちんだ		Often just called Sanchin Dachi
Han Zenkutsu Dachi	半前屈立ちはんぜんくつだ
Zenkutsu Dachi	前屈立ちぜんくつだ
Shikodachi	四股立ちしこだ
Hachi Dachi	八立ちはちだ
Neko Ashi Dachi	猫足立ちねこあしだ	Cat Foot Stance
Sagi Ashi Dachi	鷺足立ちさぎあしだ	Heron Stance
Re no Ji Dachi	レの字立ちじだ
Bensoku Dachi	弁足立ちベンそくだ
Kou Kutsu Dachi	後屈立ちこうくつだ

Okinawan

Romaji	Japanese	Meaning	Notes
Enpi	猿臂えんぴ	Elbow, Monkey arm	Okinawan term, comes from China. Regular Japanese people may not know the "Elbow" meaning
Muchimi	ムチミ	Heavy, sticky
Chinkuchi	チンクチ	Refers to an instantaneous, but momentary, contraction of muscles just as a punch makes contact.	https://www.karatebyjesse.com/chinkuchi-another-exotic-okinawan-karate-word/
Gamaku	ガマク	Gamaku is an Okinawan term, Uchinaguchi or hogan dialect, that refers to the musculature the surrounds the waist and connects the torso to the pelvis.