| A |
|
| AGE TSUKI | uppercut punch |
| AKA | red |
| ARIGATO GOZAI MASHITA | a very polite form of "thank-you" |
| ASHI | foot |
| ATAMA | head |
| B |
|
| BO | wooden staff about mid chest in length |
| BOGU | protective armor used in full contact fighting |
| BOKKEN | wooden sword used primarily for Iaido training |
| BUDO | the Way of the martial arts |
| C |
|
| CHISAI | small |
| CHOTTO MATE | "just one moment" |
| CHUDAN | center area from the waist, to the shoulders |
| D |
|
| DAME | no good; must not |
| DAN | level; black belt rank and above |
| DO (1) | the way |
| DO (2) | in armor, the body protection |
| DOJO | training hall or place devoted to the martial arts |
| DOGI | proper name for training uniform |
| DO ITASHIMASHITE | "you're welcome" |
| DOZO | please take (while offering something) |
| E |
|
| EGATA | the first kata series; contains four different forms |
| EMPI UCHI | elbow strike |
| F |
|
| FUDO DACHI | immovable stance |
| FURI TSUKI | flare punch |
| G |
|
| GEDAN BARAI | lower area block; inside to out |
| GI | familiar name for training uniform |
| GOKYU | yellow belt |
| GOMEN NASAI | "I am sorry" |
| GYAKU TSUKI | reverse punch |
| H |
|
| HAI | yes |
| HAJIME | begin |
| HAMBUN | half |
| HANGETSU GERI | half moon kick |
| HIDARI | left |
| HIZA GERI | to strike with the knee |
| HOMBU DOJO | the head dojo, or office of a style or organization |
| HYAKU | one hundred |
| I |
|
| IKKYU | brown belt |
| IPPON | in sparring, a full point |
| IUCHI | in sparring, a clash of techniques at the same time |
| J |
|
| JIYU KUMITE | free sparring |
| JO | wooden staff about shoulder height in length |
| JODAN | upper area from shoulders to above the head |
| JODAN UKE | upper area block |
| K |
|
| KAMAI TE | the ready position |
| KANTO SHO | in tournaments, the "fighting spirit" award |
| KARATE | empty hand; empty fist |
| KATA (1) | a set of movements, or pattern |
| KATA (2) | shoulder |
| KATANA | traditional long sword of the samurai |
| KI | spirit or heart |
| KIAI | the shout used to help focus techniques |
| KIBA DACHI | horse stance |
| KIHON | basic techniques |
| KOHAI | student |
| KOKUTSU DACHI | back stance |
| KOTAI | switch or change |
| KOTE | in armor, the hand protection or gloves |
| KUMITE | generic term for fighting |
| KYOTSUKE | attention |
| M |
|
| MAE GERI | front thrust kick |
| MAKIWARA | canvas bag or wooden block used to condition hands |
| MATA ASHITA | "see you tomorrow" |
| MAWASHI GERI | round house kick |
| MAWATE | turn on the spot; face the opposite direction |
| MEN | in armor, the face protection or head gear |
| MIGI | right |
| MIKIZUKI GERI | flaring front kick |
| MOKU SO | "close your eyes" |
| N |
|
| NANJI DESU KA? | "What time is it?" |
| NEKO ASHI DACHI | cat's foot stance |
| NIKYU | blue belt |
| NUKITE | knife hand strike |
| O |
|
| OBI | belt |
| OHAYO GOZAIMASU | "good morning" |
| OI TSUKI | forward punch |
| OKI | large |
| ONAGAI SHIMASU | polite form of "please" |
| ONAJI | "the same" |
| OSHIRO | reverse, or behind |
| OYASUMI NASAI | "good night" |
| P |
|
| PINAN | the second kata series; contains five different forms |
| R |
|
| REI (1) | respect |
| REI (2) | to bow |
| REIGI | etiquette or courtesy |
| RENBUKAI | "to forge the martial way association" |
| RENSHU | to train or practice |
| RENZOKU DOSA | "in continuos motion" |
| S |
|
| SAGATE | backwards |
| SAIGO | "last one" or "last set in a series" |
| SANBON | set of three |
| SANKYU | green belt |
| SASAAI UKE | double block; augmented block |
| SAWATE | "sit down" |
| SEIZA | formal style of sitting |
| SEMPAI | assistant instructor; green belt to brown belt level |
| SEMPAI NI REI | "bow to the assistant instructor(s)" |
| SEN | one thousand |
| SENSEI | instructor above black belt level |
| SENSEI NI REI | "bow to the instructor(s)" |
| SHINAI | bamboo training sword, primarily used in Kendo |
| SHINZEN NI REI | "bow towards the shrine" |
| SHIRO | white |
| SHITSURE SHIMASU | "please excuse my leaving(the dojo)" |
| SHODAN | black belt; specifically first degree |
| SHOMEN | front of the dojo |
| SHOMEN NI REI | "bow to the front of the dojo" |
| SHUTO UKE | knife hand block |
| SOJI | the act of washing the dojo floor |
| SOKUTO GERI | side thrust kick: edge of the heel kick |
| SONO BA | "on the spot, without moving" |
| SONO MAMA SAGATE | "the same as before, backwards" |
| SOTO UKE | center area block, inside to out |
| SUKUI UKE | lower area sweeping block, outside to in |
| SUMI MASEN | "excuse me" |
| SUNDOME | non-contact fighting |
| T |
|
| TAMASHIWARI | the act of breaking wood |
| TATE | stand up |
| TETSUI UCHI | back-fist strike |
| TOBIKOMI | in basics, driving the knee upwards |
| TSUKOMI TSUKI | dropping lunge reverse punch |
| TSUKI | punch |
| U |
|
| UCHI UKE | center area block, outside to in |
| URAKEN | back-hand strike |
| USHIRO GERI | spinning back kick |
| USHIRO MAWASHI GERI | spinning reverse wheel kick |
| UTAGANI REI | "bowing to each other" |
| W |
|
| WAKARI MASEN | "I do not understand" |
| WAKARI MASU | "I do understand" |
| WAKARI MASUKA | "Do you understand?" |
| WAZA | series or set of similar basics |
| WAZARI | in sparring, one half point |
| Y |
|
| YAME | stop |
| YONKYU | orange belt |
| Z |
|
| ZENKUTSU DACHI | forward stance |
| ZEN-NIHON | "All - Japan" |
