Dictionary

The dictionary below gives translations and explanations for the most common Japanese terms in karate.

Karatedo means "Way of the empy hand" (kara = empty, te = hand, do = way).
Wado Ryu means "School of the way of harmony" (wa = harmony, do = (life-)way, ryu = school / style).
Budokai literally means "Organisation Japanese Martial Arts" bu = martial, do = way, kai = organisation).

NB: This dictionary presents way of writing, but not the prononciation of Japanese words.

Common words

Miscellaneous

• yoi = stand ready
• hajime = begin, start
• yame = stop
• kyukei = rest, pause
• kekka = whole
• hanka = half
• shizen = naturally
• heiko = parallel
• hon = head, main
• fumi = to stamp
• fumikomi = stamp
• osae = to push
• harai= to wipe away
• sukui = to shovel up
• jun = agreement
• gyaku = opposite
• otogai = everybody, each other
• sensei = teacher
• ko = bow
• kosa = cross
• hasami = scissors
• to = knife / sword
• nuki = spear, "penetrating"
• yama = mountain
• ji = character
• neko = cat
• ki = horse riding
• ba = horse
• hakutsuru = crane
• -ka = practitioner
• kai = group (of practitioners)
• kan = club, society

Adjectives and prepositions

• o- = big
• ko- = small
• hira = flat
• kutsu = bent
• hei = closed
• kai = open
• musubi = bound

Numbers

• ichi = 1
• ni = 2
• san = 3
• shi = 4
• go = 5
• rochu = 6
• sichi = 7
• hachi = 8
• kyu = 9
• jiu =10
• hyaku = 100

Directions and locations

• jo = place
• sonoba = in the same place
• zen / mae / shomen = front
• ko = rear, back
• migi = right
• hidari = left
• mahanmi = sideviewt
• hanmi = half-sideviewt
• mashomen = front view
• uchi = inside
• soto = outside
• choku = straight
• yoko= sideways
• tate = vertical
• age = up
• otoshi = falling, downwards
• kagi = angle
• sei = normal, straight
• seiretsu = stand in a straight row
• shiko = square
• sabaki = to handle, to move
• mawashi = turning
• mawatte = turn around
• tobi = to jump
• nagashi = to wipe clean

Body parts

• tai = body
• jodan = high (throat and up)
• chudan = middle
• gedan = low (lower than the waistbelt)
• nakazumi = central body axis (vertical)
• atama = head
• men = face
• ganmen = middle area of the face
• shamen = temple
• suden = point between the eyes
• me = eye
• ago = chin
• nodo = throat
• kubi = neck
• mune = breast
• chushin = center, middle, heart
• suigetsu = solar plexus
• kin = abdomen
• hara = belly
• do = side of the torso
• kata = shoulder
• no = arm
• ninode = upper arm
• hiji = elbow
• kote / ude = lower arm
• ude = wrist, arm
• tekubi = wrist
• te / shu = hand
• shotei = handpalm
• teisho = mouse of the hand
• haishu = outside of the hand (side of little finger)
• haito = side of the hand (side of thumb)
• ken = fist
• yubi = finger
• oyayubi = thumb
• koshi = hip
• ko = thigh
• hiza = knee
• sune = shin
• soku = foot
• ashi = foot
• kakato = heel

Terms and greetings

• kon mi chi wa = hallo
• domo arigato = thank you
• domo arigato gozai mashita = thank you very much

Budo terms

Concepts

• kamae = combat posture
• tai-sabaki = body movement
• hara = center of the body
• ki = energy, inner strength
• kime = focussing of ki
• kiai = battle cry
• mokuso = to meditate
• zan-shin = "remaining mind", alertness, openness, being ready for anything
• bu = martial, as in martial art etc.
• do = way. A way of life. (tao in Chinese)
• jutsu = art, technique
• rei = to bow, to greet
• reishiki = budo etiquette
• do-jo = way-place, training room for martial arts
• shinzen = shinto-altar

Techniques

• tachi = stance
• waza = technique
• tsuki / zuki = punch
• geri / keri = kick
• uchi-waza = strike technique
• uke-waza = deflection technique
• ate-waza = technique with short range (for example elbow- & knee-techniques)
• nage = throw

Practice forms

• kihon
• kata
• kumite
• renrakuwaza

Movements

Body movements

• ayumi-ashi = one step
• surikomi-ashi = twee steps
• okuri-ashi = dubble step, first stepping out, then stepping in
• tsugi-ashi = dubble step, first stepping in, then stepping out
• mawatte = 180° turn on the spot

Principles of movement

• noru = move with the force
• nagasu = "drive away", evade
• inasu = deflect
• irimi = penetrate
• kuzushi = disturb balance

Reishiki (budo etiquette)

For all kyu and dangrades knowledge of the budo etiquette is mandatory. This demands respect and attention for the school, the teacher and the fellow students, expressed by an alert and attentive posture, right position, formal greeting and respect for each other. Below are listed the most important phrases.