This page contains a brief glossary of some of the more commonly used Japanese terminology that are used during training. The club instructors will help you to understand their meanings and the pronunciations.
General Terms
| Japanese | Translation | Japanese | Translation |
| Dojo | Training Hall | Dojo Kun | Dojo code |
| Sensei | Instructor | Seiza | Kneel |
| Rei | Bow | Yoi | Ready |
| Migi | Right | Hidari | Left |
| Kamae-te | Move to ready position | Hajime | Start/begin |
| Mawatte | Turn | Yame | Finish/stop |
| Gi | Karate suit | Obi | Belt |
| Kime | Focus | Kiai | Martial shout |
| Kihon | Basic techniques | Kata | Formal exercises |
| Kumite | Sparring | Jodan | Head |
| Chudan | Middle body | Gedan | Lower body |
| Zanshin | Martial state of mind or awareness | Oss | Respectful greeting or acknowledgment or understanding of a command |
Stances
| Japanese | Translation | Japanese | Translation |
| Heiko dachi | Natural stance | Heisoku dachi | Feet together stance |
| Musubi dachi | Informal stance | Zenkutsu dachi | Front stance |
| Kiba dachi | Straddle stance | Shiko dachi | Open leg/Sumo stance |
| Kokutsu dachi | Back stance |
Blocks
| Japanese | Translation | Japanese | Translation |
| Gedan Barai | Downward block | Age Uke | Rising block |
| Soto Uke | Outside block | Uchi Uke | Inside block |
| Shuto uke | Knife hand block | Tate Shuto uke | Vertical knife hand block |
| Nagashi uke | Sweeping block | Haishu uke | Back hand block |
| Empi uke | Elbow block | Juji uke | X block |
| Morote uke | Augmented block | Kakewake uke | Wedge block |
Punches
| Japanese | Translation | Japanese | Translation |
| Kara/Choku tsuki | Straight punch | Oi tsuki | Stepping punch |
| Kizami tsuki | Front hand punch | Gyaku tsuki | Reverse punch |
| Kagi tsuki | Hook punch | Ren tsuki | Two punch combination |
| Sanbon tsuki | Three punch combination |
Strikes
| Japanese | Translation | Japanese | Translation |
| Age empi uchi | Rising elbow strike | Yoko empi uchi | Side elbow strike |
| Mawashi empi uchi | Round elbow strike | Ushiro empi uchi | Reverse elbow strike |
| Tate empi uchi | Downward elbow strike | Shuto uchi | Knife hand strike |
| Uraken uchi | Back fist strike | Tetsui uchi | Hammer fist strike |
| Nukite | Spear hand thrust | Teisho uchi | Palm heel strike |
| Haito uchi | Ridge hand strike |
Kicks
| Japanese | Translation | Japanese | Translation |
| Mae geri | Front kick | Yoko geri keage | Side snap kick |
| Yoko geri kekomi | Side thrust kick | Mawashi geri | Roundhouse kick |
| Ushiro geri | Back kick | Hiza geri | Knee kick |
| Ren geri | Kicking combinations stepping between Kicks | Nidan geri | Two kicks with same leg without step between |
Sparring
| Japanese | Translation | Japanese | Translation |
| Sanbon Kumite | Three step sparring | Gohon Kumite | Five step sparring |
| Kihon Ippon Kumite | Basic one-step sparring | Jiyu Ippon Kumite | Semi-free style sparring |
| Kaishi Ippon Kumite | Reaction sparring | Jiyu Kumite | Free style sparring |
IchiBan Shotokan Karate Club 