Glossary of English and Japanese
Terms
- Pronunciation keys of
Japanese terms are given in parentheses.
- How to read Japanese in
English alphabet (rōmaji):
English vowels a=ah, i=ee, u=oo, e=eh
and o=oh
- A macron or a line over a
vowel indicates that it is pronounced for twice the length of the vowel
without a macron or a line. Sometimes an "h" is added instead,
as in Mr. Ohshima's name. The first "o" in Mr. Ono's name, on
the other hand, is not lengthened. Ohno and Ono are two different names.
However, these sounds are just approximations and there are some
exceptions.
- Please note that the
pronunciation keys given here are only approximations and are primarily
designed for the members in the U.S.
and Canada.
They may not necessarily be helpful for the members of international
affiliates.
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Numbers
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One
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ichi (ee-chee)
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Two
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ni (nee)
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Three
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san (sahn)
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Four
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shi (shee)
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Five
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go (goh)
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Six
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roku (roh-koo)
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Seven
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shichi (shee-chee)
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Eight
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hachi (hah-chee)
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Nine
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ku (koo) / kyū (kyoo)
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Ten
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jū (joo)
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General
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Head
instructor/Master instructor (of an organization)
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shihan (shee-hahn)
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Instructor
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sensei (sehn-seh-ee)
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Training
hall
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dōjō (doh-joh)
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Training
uniform
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keiko
gi (keh-ee-koh
gee)/gi (gee)
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Training
uniform belt
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obi (oh-bee)
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Vocal
expulsion of air
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kiai (kee-ah-ee)
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Black
Belt rank
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dan (dahn)
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White/Brown
belt rank
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kyū (kyoo)
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Meditation
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mokusō (moh-koo-soh)
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Bow
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rei (reh-ee)/lei (leh-ee)
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Assume
stance
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kamaete (kah-mah-eh-teh)
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Get
ready
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yōi (yoh-ee)
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Begin
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hajime (hah-jee-meh)
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Pivot/assume
opposite direction
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kaette (kah-eht-teh)
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Stop
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yame (yah-meh)
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At ease
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yasume (yah-soo-meh)
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Basic
training
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kihon (kee-hohn)
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Formal
exercise/forms
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kata (kah-tah)
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Sparring
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kumite (koo-mee-teh)
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Escape
techniques
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torite
(toh-ree-teh)
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Throwing
techniques
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nagewaza
(nah-geh-wah-zah)
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Foot
sweep
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ashibarai (ah-shee-bah-rah-ee)
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Maximum
effectiveness/ focus of techniques
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kime (kee-meh)
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Pulling
hand
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hikite (hee-kee-teh)
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Breathing
center in lower abdomen
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tanden (tahn-dehn)
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Getting
into the opponent
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irimi (ee-ree-mee)
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Elbow
Attacks
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enpi (ehn-pee)/ empi(ehm-pee)
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Jumping-in
attack
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tobikomi (toh-bee-koh-mee)
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Continuous
Techniques
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renzoku
waza
(rehn-zoh-koo wah-zah)
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Punching
board
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makiwara (mah-kee-wah-rah)
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Staff
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bō (boh)
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Standing Forms: Tachikata (tah-chee-kah-tah)
Tachi (tah-chee) changes to dachi (dah-chee) when used after other words.
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Front
stance
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zenkutsu-dachi (zehn-koo-tsoo-dah-chee)
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Back
stance
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kōkutsu-dachi (koh-koo-tsoo-dah-chee)
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Horse
riding stance
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kiba-dachi (kee-bah-dah-chee)
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Immovable
stance
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fudō-dachi
(foo-doh-dah-chee)
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Cat
stance
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nekoashi-dachi (neh-koh-ah-shee-dah-chee)
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Natural
stance
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shizentai (shee-zehn-tah-ee)
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Close-leg
stance
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heisoku-dachi (heh-ee-soh-koo-dah-chee)
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Half-facing
stance
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hanmi-dachi (hahn-mee-dah-chee)
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Open-leg
stance
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hachiji-dachi (hah-chee-jee-dah-chee)
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Blocks: Uke (oo-keh)
Harai (hah-rah-ee) changes to barai (bah-rah-ee) when used after other words.
Harai is one kind of block.
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Downward
block
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gedan-barai (geh-dahn-bah-rah-ee)
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Rising
block
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age-uke (ah-geh-oo-keh)
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Forearm
block
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ude-uke (oo-deh-oo-keh)
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Hammer
block
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tetsui-uke (teh-tsoo-ee-oo-keh)/tettsui-uke
(teht-tsoo-ee-oo-keh)
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Knife-hand
block
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shutō-uke (shoo-toh-oo-keh)
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Cross-arm
block
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jūji-uke (joo-jee-oo-keh)
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Two-hand
block
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morote-uke (moh-roh-the-oo-keh)
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Palm-heel
block
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teishō-uke (teh-ee-shoh-oo-keh)
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Hand Techniques: Te Waza (teh-wah-zah)
Thrust tsuki (tsoo-kee) changes to zuki (zoo-kee) when used after other
words.
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Lunge
punch
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oi-zuki (oh-ee-zoo-kee)
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Reverse
punch
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gyaku-zuki (gyah-koo-zoo-kee)
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Jab
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maete (mah-eh-teh)
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Continuous
punches alternating hands
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bari-bari (bah-ree-bah-ree)
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Continuous
punching attacks
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renzoku-zuki (rehn-zoh-koo-zoo-kee)/ren-zuki
(rehn-zoo-kee)
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Punching
with horse riding stance
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kibadachi-zuki (kee-bah-dah-chee-zoo-kee)
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Double
punch
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morote-zuki (moh-roh-teh-zoo-kee)
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Hook
punch
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kagi-zuki (kah-gee-zoo-kee)
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Palm-heel
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teishō
(teh-ee-shoh)
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Rising
punch
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age-zuki (ah-geh-zoo-kee)
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Striking Techniques: Uchi Waza (oo-chee-wah-zah)
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Back-fist
strike
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uraken-uchi (oo-rah-kehn-oo-chee)
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Bottom-fist
strike
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tetsui-uchi
(teh-tsoo-ee-oo-chee)/
tettsui-uchi (teht-tsoo-ee-oo-chee)
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Knife-hand
strike
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shutō-uchi (shoo-toh-oo-chee)
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Spear-hand
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nukite
(noo-kee-teh)
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Two-finger
spear-hand
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nihon-nukite (nee-hohn-noo-kee-teh)
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Fore-fist
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seiken (seh-ee-kehn)
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Fore-knuckle
fist
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hiraken (hee-rah-kehn)
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One-knuckle
fist
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ippon-ken (eep-pohn-kehn)
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Middle
finger/knuckle fist
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nakadaka-ken (nah-kah-dah-kah-kehn)
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Ridge-hand
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haitō (hah-ee-toh)
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Kicks: Keri (keh-ree)
Keri (keh-ree) changes to geri (geh-ree) when used after other
words.
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Front
kick
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mae-geri (mah-eh-geh-ree)
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Round
kick
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mawashi-geri (mah-wah-shee-geh-ree)
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Side-thrust
kick
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yokogeri-kekomi (yoh-koh-geh-ree-keh-koh-mee)
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Side-up
kick
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yokogeri-keage (yoh-koh-geh-ree-keh-ah-geh)
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Crescent
kick
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mikazuki-geri (mee-kah-zoo-kee-geh-ree)
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Stamping
kick
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fumikomi (foo-mee-koh-mee)
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Rear
kick
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ushiro-geri (oo-shee-roh-geh-ree)
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Double
front kick
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nidan-geri (nee-dahn-geh-ree)
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Flying
front kick
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tobi-geri (toh-bee-geh-ree)
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Flying
side-thrust kick
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tobi-yokogeri (toh-bee-yoh-koh-geh-ree)
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Front kick
with front leg
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maeashi-geri (mah-eh-ah-shee-geh-ree)
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Front-thrust
kick
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maeashi-kekomi (mah-eh-ah-shee-keh-koh-mee)
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Continuous
kicks
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renzoku-geri (rehn-zoh-koo-geh-ree)
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Foot
edge
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sokutō (soh-koo-toh)
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Heel
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kakato
(kah-kah-toh)
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Kneecap
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hizagashira (hee-zah-gah-shee-rah)
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Sparring: Kumite (koo-mee-teh)
Kumite (koo-mee-teh) often becomes gumite (goo-mee-teh) when
used after other words.
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Basic
one-time sparring
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kihon
ippon gumite
(kee-hohn eep-pohn goo-mee-teh)
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Free
one-time sparring
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jiyū-ippon
gumite
(jee-yoo-eep-pohn goo-mee-teh)
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Three-time
sparring
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sanbon
gumite
(sahn-bohn goo-mee-teh)
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Five-time
sparring
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gohon
gumite
(goh-hohn goo-mee-teh)
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Free-style
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jiyū
kumite (jee-yoo
koo-mee-teh)
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Upper
body
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jōdan (joh-dahn)
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Middle
body
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chūdan
(choo-dahn)
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Lower
body
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gedan (geh-dahn)
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Distance,
timing, and other things between opponents
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ma (mah)
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Match
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shiai (shee-ah-ee)
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Bow
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rei (reh-ee) / lei (leh-ee)
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One point
match
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shōbu
ippon (shoh-boo
eep-pohn)
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Begin
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hajime (hah-jee-meh)
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Stop
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yame (yah-meh)
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Clash
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aiuchi (ah-ee-oo-chee)
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I award
no point
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torimasen (toh-ree-mah-sehn)
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Continue
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tsuzukete (tsoo-zoo-keh-teh)
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One
more time
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mō
ichido (moh
ee-chee-doh)
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End of
match
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soko
made (soh-koh
mah-deh) / sore made (soh-reh mah-deh)
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Half-point
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waza
ari (wah-zah
ah-ree)
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Point
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ippon (eep-pohn)
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Two
half-points equal one point
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waza
ari awasete ippon
(wah-zah ah-ree ah-wah-seh-teh eep-pohn)
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Draw
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hikiwake (hee-kee-wah-keh)
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Red
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aka (ah-kah)
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White
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shiro (shee-roh)
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Red is
the winner
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aka
no kachi
(ah-kah noh kah-chee)
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Referee
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shinpan (sheen-pahn) / shimpan (sheem-pahn)
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Throwing Techniques: Nagewaza (nah-geh-wah-zah)
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(Names
of techniques)
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Byōbudaoshi
(byoh-boo-dah-oh-shee)
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Komanage (koh-mah-nah-geh)
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Kubiwa (koo-bee-wah)
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Katawaguruma (kah-tah-wah-goo-roo-mah)
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Tsubamegaeshi (tsoo-bah-meh-gah-eh-shee)
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Yaridama (yah-ree-dah-mah)
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Taniotoshi (tah-nee-oh-toh-shee)
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Udewa (oo-deh-wah)
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Sakatsuchi (sah-kah-tsoo-chee)
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Performer
of the technique
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tori
(toh-ree)
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Receiver
of the technique
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uke (oo-keh)
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Falling
techniques
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ukemi (oo-keh-mee)
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For more information on nagewaza, please refer to
Karate-Dō Kyōhan, pages 227-232.
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*Notes
When
Shihan or Sensei is used as an honorific or a title, there are a
few important things one needs to be aware of:
- Shihan or Sensei is attached
to the end of the person's family name, e.g., Ohshima Shihan (not Shihan
Ohshima), Ohshima Sensei (not Sensei Ohshima)
- According to the Japanese
culture, it is not appropriate to call oneself Shihan or Sensei,
or introduce oneself with the title Shihan or Sensei,
e.g., Instructor John Doe shouldn't call himself Shihan, Sensei, Doe
Shihan or Doe Sensei. His students can, but he shouldn't.
The same
thing applies to the honorific san (meaning Mr., Mrs., or Miss). Mr.
John Smith shouldn't call
himself Smith-san or John Smith-san. San can be attached only to the
end of others' names.
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Adapted from Shotokan Karate of America
website
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