Titles Commonly Used

Osensei Revered teacher, Greatest Teachers, Highly

regarded or respected teacher
Soke Head of family or lineage
Kaicho President (of a society)
Kancho Head of dojo
Shihan Chief instructor, teacher of teachers.
Shihandai Assistant shihan
Sensei Teacher
Yudansha Black belt grades
Senpai Senior Student & / or Teachers Assistant
[meaning Senior to yourself].

Japanese Pronunciation English

 rei ray  zero
 ichi  eech  one
 ni  nee  two
 san  san  three
 shi (yon)  she  four
 go  go  five
 roku  roke  six
 shichi (nana)  seech  seven
 hachi  hach  eight
 ku  koo  nine
 ju  joo  ten
 ju ichi  joo eech  eleven
 ju ni  joo nee  twelve
 ju san  joo san  thirteen
 ju shi  joo she  fourteen
 ju go  joo go  fifteen
 ju roku  joo roke  sixteen
 ju shichi  joo seech  seventeen
 ju hachi  joo hach  eighteen
 ju ku  joo koo  nineteen
 ni ju  nee joo  twenty
 san ju  san joo  thirty
 shi ju  she joo  forty
 go ju  go joo  fifty

 Numbers Commands & phrases

Japanese Pronunciation English
 arigato gozaimasu  ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zai-  thank you very much
 mas
 do itashimas'te  doh-ee-tash-ee ma-she-tay  you're welcome
 hajime  hah-jee-may  begin
 kawate  kah-wah-tay  on guard
 kime  ke-mee  focusing technique
 kiotsuke  kee-oh-skay  stand up straight!
 konbon wa  cone-bon wah  good evening
 konnichi wa  cone-ichi-ee wah  good afternoon
 koshi o ireru  ko-she o ee-re-roo  "putting in the hip"
 matte  mah-tay  wait
 mawatte  mah-wah-tay  turn around
 mokuso  moh-koo-soh  quiet meditation
 onegai shimasu  oh-neh-guy she-mas  please (teach me)
 otagai ni  oh-tah-gah-ee nee  toward each other
 otagai ni rei  oh-tah-gah-ee nee ray  bow to each other
 oh-tah-gah-ee nee ta(i)-
 otagai ni taishi  face each other
sh(e)
 rei  ray  bow with respect
 sensei ni rei  sen-say nee ray  bow to the teacher
 sensei ni taishi  sen-say nee ta(i)-sh(e)  face the teacher
 shomen ni rei  shoh-men nee ray  bow to the front
 shomen ni taishi  shoh-men nee ta(i)-sh(e)  face the front
 shugo  shoo-go  line up, gather together
 wakarimasen  wah-car-ee-mah-sin  I do not understand
 wakarimasu  wah-car-ee-mas  I understand
 wakarimasu ka ?  wah-car-ee-mas kah  do you understand ?
 yame  yah-may  stop
 yoi  yoy  ready, attention

Japanese Words We Use

Japanese Pronunciation English
 atemi  ah-teh-me  strike (often to distract)
 barai  bah-rye  sweep
 application of kata
 bunkai  boon-keye
techniques
 bushido  boo-she-doh  the way of the warrior
 dai ichi  die-eech  The first
 deshi  deh-she  student, pupil
 dojo  doe-joe  place to learn the way
 dogi (gi)  doe-ghee  (ghee)  karate uniforn
 hai  hi  yes
 hidari  hee-dah-ree  left
 hojo undo  hoe-joe oon-doe  supplementary exercises
 ido  ee-doe  moving, with movement
 iya  ee-yay  no
 jiyu kumite  jee-yu koo-meh-tay  freestyle sparring
 junbi undo  joon-bee oon-doe  warmup exercises
 karateka  kah-rah-tay-kah  karate student
 kiai  key-eye  spirit yell
 kihon  key-hon  basics
 kiso tanren  key-soh tan-ren  foundation drill conditioning
 kokyu ho  koh-kyu how  breathing methods
 kotekitae  koh-teh-key-tay  arm pounding
 kumite  koo-meh-tay  sparring
 obi  oh-bee  belt
 makiwara  mah-kee-wah-rah  striking board
 migi  mee-gee  right
 seiza  say-za  formal sitting on knees
 shiai  she-eye  sparring match
 sonoba  soh-no-bah  in place, not moving
 waza  wah-zah  technique
 yah-k(oo)-soh-koo koo-
 yakusoku kumite  pre-arranged sparring
meh-tay

Okinawa Teaching Licences

Hanshisei Senior leader to Model Instructors, to be

modeled after.
Hanshi
Senior leader to Model Instructors, to be modeled
after.
 

Kyoshi
Master, Teaching instructor [teacher of teachers].
Eminent Instructor; Master Instructor.

Renshi
Senior Expert, Professional, Training instructor.
Highly trained; High Attainment

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SHOTOKAN KARATE

Gichin Funakoshi is generally regarded as the father of Japanese
Karate, especially Shotokan. He was born in Okinawa in 1868 and
began karate at an early age, under the instruction of Master
Azato. At a later date he also studied under Master Itosu. These
were the two men who were responsible for the shaping of his
karate. Gichin Funakoshi went on to become a school teacher but
he still continued with his karate. It was in 1922 that a martial
arts demonstration was held at the ‘Women’s Higher Normal
School’ in Tokyo. Here Master Funakoshi had his chance to
introduce the Okinawan art of karate to the Japanese main land.
The demonstration was a success, and led to a strong friendship
between Master Funakoshi and Jigorō Kanō, the founder of Judo.

Master Funakoshi decided to move to Japan to teach karate on a

full time basis. In 1932 a certain Masatoshi Nakayama began his
karate training under Master Funakoshi at Takushoku University
in Tokyo and later, under his son Yoshitaka. It was in 1949 that
Masatoshi Nakayama formed the ‘Japan Karate Association’ with
Master Funakoshi as it’s chief instructor. Together Master
Funakoshi and Master Nakayama created the infamous JKA
instructors class. From this class came the Japanese Sensei that
we are now very familiar with; Sensei Hirokazu Kanazawa, Sensei
Keinosuke Enoeda, Sensei Taiji Kase and Sensei Hiroshi Shirai to
name but a few. It was later that Master Nakayama established
karate competitions and took on the task to spread karate
throughout the world, and these instructors, along with others,
were instrumental in making this happen. Gichin Funakoshi also
wrote several books including: Karate Dō Kyohan, Karate Dō
Nyūmon and Karate Dō – My Way of Life.

Stances

Japanese Term Common Term Literal Translation

musubi-dachi attention connected stance
heisoku-dachi feet together closed feet/leg stance
zenkutsu-dachi front stance front bend stance
kohkutsu-dachi back stance back bend stance
kiba-dachi horse stance horse riding stance
neko-ashi-dachi cat stance cat foot/leg stance
hangetsu-dachi half-moon stance half-moon stance

Hand Attacks

Japanese Term Common Term Literal Translation

tsuki punch thrust
oi-zuki stepping punch chasing/pursuit punch
choku-zuki punch straight punch
gyaku-zuki reverse punch opposite punch
nukite-uchi spear hand penetration hand strike
uraken-uchi back fist back of fist strike
enpi-uchi elbow strike elbow strike

Leg Attacks

Japanese Term Common Term Literal Translation

geri kick kick
mae-geri front kick front kick
mawashi-geri roundhouse kick send-around kick
yoko kekomi side thrust kick side kick with thrust
ushiro-geri back kick rear kick
mikazuki-geri crescent kick crescent moon kick
ashi barai foot sweep foot/leg sweep

Blocks

Japanese
Common Term Literal Translation
Term
age-uke upper block rising reception
outside forearm
soto-ude-uke outside block
reception
uchi-ude-uke inside block inside forearm reception
gedan-barai down block low level sweep
shuto-uke knife hand block hand sword reception
character for ten
juuji-uke x-block
reception
double arm
morote-uke both hands reception
block
Kumite

Japanese Term Common Term Literal Translation

kumite sparring sparring
(kihon) gohon five-step (basic) five-attack
kumite sparring sparring
(kihon) sanbon three-step (basic) three-attack
 kumite sparring sparring
(kihon) ippon one-step (basic) one-attack
kumite sparring sparring
semi-free free one-attack
jiyuu ippon kumite
sparring sparring
jiyuu kumite free sparring free sparring
tournament
shiai kumite competition sparring
sparring

Miscellaneous

Japanese
Common Term Literal Translation
Term
joh-dan upper level upper level
chuudan middle level middle level
gedan low level low level
kihon basics fundamentals
kiai yell/scream yell/scream
kime focus decision
rei bow giving of thanks
assume the yoi
yoh-i preparation
posture
yame stop the finish
naotte at ease recover
yasume at ease rest
mawatte turn around go around
hajime begin the beginning
mokusoh meditate meditation
dojo karate school way place
sitting on your
seiza sit down
knees
seiretsu line up lining up
sensei karate teacher teacher
Strikes Punches

Empi uchi Elbow strike Age tsuki Rising punch

Gyaku haito uchi Reverse backfist strike Awase tsuki "U" punc

Haishu uchi Back hand strike Choku tsuki Straight punch

Haito uchi Backfist strike Gedan tsuki Downward punch

Hiraken uchi Foreknuckle strike Gyaku tsuki Reverse punch

 One-knuckle fist
Hiza age ate Rising knee strike Ippon Ken tsuki
punch

Ippon nukite uchi Single finger strike Kagi tsuki Hook punch

Koko uchi Tiger mouth strike Kizami tsuki Jab

Kumade uchi Bear claw strike Morote tsuki Parallel punch

Mae empi uchi Front elbow strike Oi tsuki Stepping punch

Stepping reverse
Mawashi empi uchi Round elbow strike Oi-gyaku tsuki
punch

Dropping punch
Nihon nukite uchi Two finger strike (fork) Otoshi tsuki
(Empi)

Otoshi empi uchi Downward elbow strike Ren tsuki Double punch

Shihon nukite uchi Spear hand strike San tsuki Triple punch

Shuto uchi Knife hand strike Ura tsuki Close punch

Soto shuto uchi Outside knife hand strike

Tate empi uchi Upward elbow strike

Teisho uchi Palm heel strike

Tettsui Hammer-fist strike

Uchi shuto uchi Inside knife hand strike

Uraken uchi Backfist strike

Ushiro empi uchi Back elbow strike

Washide uchi Eagle beak strike

Yoko empi uchi Side elbow strike

Yoko mawashi empi

Side roundhouse elbow strike
uchi