age-tsuki

upward punch

arigato

thank you

Arigato gozaimasu

ashi

leg

ashi barai

foot sweep (throw)

bubishi

"Karate Bible" (contents: origin, philosophy, techniques, vital points, medicine)

budo

collective term for Japanese martial disciplines

dachi

stance

dai

large

dan

level, degree, master rank (black belt)

do

way (also: teaching, search, experience, law, etc.)

embusen

step diagram of a kata

empi

elbow

gedan

striking height below the belt line

gedan-barai

downward block

gi

training uniform (karate-gi = karate uniform)

go

hard

goju-ryu

hard-soft style

go no sen

retreating with the attack and countering as the attack withdraws

hai!

yes!

hajime!

begin, "Go!"

haito

inner edge of hand

haito-uchi

strike with the inner edge of hand (thumb in palm)

hantei

change sides

hara

abdomen, energy center, center of gravity

jodan

striking height neck/head

jodan-uke

block for neck/head

ju

soft

kakato

heel

kake-te

block with hold, hands open

kamae

be ready, ready/fighting stance

kamae-te

assume ready stance

kansetsu

leg joint

kansetsu-geri

kick diagonally downward to the knee

kara

orig.: Japanese term for "Chinese", changed to "empty"

kara-te

empty hand

karateka

person who trains in karate

kata

predetermined sequence of defensive and offensive techniques

keage

snapped

kekomi

thrust

ken

knuckle/fist

keri

kick (in compound words: "geri" - e.g., mae-geri)

ki

energy

kiai

fighting shout

kihon

basics

kime

focus/focal point, shock-like contraction of all muscles at the end of a technique

kin-geri

kick with the instep from below between the legs

kisami-tsuki

punch with the hand

koken

hook hand

kosa-dachi

crossed leg stance

kumite

sparring

kumite-dachi

fighting stance

mae

forward

mae-geri

(straight) front kick

Matsuura, Kozo

our teacher in Tokyo

mawashi

round, circular

mawashi-geri

roundhouse kick

mawashi-uke

double circular block

mawate

turn, rotate

Miyagi, Chojun

founder of Goju-Ryu

mo ichi do

once more

mokuso

close eyes/meditate inwardly

morote

double/with both arms/hands

naore

end mokuso (good, "at ease!")

obi

belt

oi-tsuki

punch with the hand on the side of the rear leg (lunge)

Okinawa

island off Japan (toward China)

onegai shimasu

request for instruction

otagai

among each other

rei

greeting, to greet (form = bow)

San

greeting, to greet (form = bow)

sanchin-dachi

short forward stance (hourglass stance)

sempai

"senior brother" - someone who has been training karate longer

sen

not (negation of a verb)

sen no sen

preempting the attack (counter strikes before attack)

sensei

teacher

sei-ken

front fist

seisa

seated inner meditation (before/after training)

shidoin

assistant

shihan

grandmaster

shiko-dachi

leg stance: horse stance

shobu

contest - victory or defeat

Shobukan

house of honorable martial arts

shomen

main front/front side of the dojo

shotei

palm heel strike

shuto

outer edge of hand

shuto-uke

striking block with the outer edge of the open hand

soto

outside, outer

tai chi

slow health-promoting movement meditation

taiji

Chinese spelling, Japanese Tai Chi

tatami

rice straw mat

te

hand

tenshin

evade to the side

tetsui-uchi

hammer fist strike with outside of fist

tobi-geri

jumping kick (tobu = to fly)

tori

attacker

tsuki

stopped punch, basic form

uchi

inside/inner, strike

uchi-uke

block for upper body, from outside to inside, with the outside of the arm

uke

block, defender, receive

ukemi

fall/roll

unsoku

footwork training

ura

reverse side

ura-ken

snapped fist strike - "the whip"

ura-mawashi-geri

mawashi-geri with the sole or ball of the foot

ushiro

backward

yame

interruption or end of exercise or sparring

yoi!

be ready, "Attention!"

yoi-dachi

basic stance/ready stance (feet parallel, shoulder-width apart)

yoko

to the side

zanshin

fighting spirit, alertness