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Learn Japanese Vocabulary to learn Authentic Japanese Karate

  • Ankle – Ashi-Kubi

  • Attention – Kiotsuke

  • Back – Ushiro

  • Basic Techniques – Kihon

  • Begin/Start – Hajime

  • Belt – Obi 

  • Block – Uke 

  • Body Movement – Tai Sabaki

  • Bow – Rei

  • Breathing Exercises – Kokyu Ho

  • Elbow – Empi or Enpi 

  • Elbow Strike – Empi-Uchi 

  • Focus – Kime

  • Foot – Ashi  

  • Form or Pattern – Kata

  • Form (Kata) Technique Application – Bunkai 

  • Front – Mae

  • Goodbye – Sayonara 

  • Hand – Te 

  • Head – Atama 

  • Heel – Kakato  

  • I (Me) – Watashi 

  • Kata Starting Point – Embusen or Enbusen

  • Kick – Geri or Keri 

  • Knee – Hiza 

  • Kneel – Seiza

  • Kneeling Techniques – Seiza Waza

  • Knife Hand – Shuto  

  • Left – Hidari 

  • Low (Level) – Gedan  

  • Mat (Practice/Training Mat) – Tatami   

  • Meditate – Mokuso

  • Middle (Level) – Chudan or Somen

  • One More Time – Mo Ichi Do 

  • No – Iie  

  • No Mind  – Mushin

  • Please – Dozo

  • Practitioner of Karate – Karateka

  • Pulling Hand (brining hand back to ready position) – Hikite

  • Punch – Tsuki or Zuki (sounds like Zoo-key)

  • Greeting, understood, goodbye- Osu!

  • Right – Migi (sounds like Mee-gee)

  • School (Martial Arts) – Dojo (sounds like Doe-Joe)

  • Senior Student – Senpai or Sempai

  • Shout or Yell – Kiai (sounds like Key-eye)

  • Side – Yoko (sounds like Yoh-koh)

  • Snap – Keage

  • Sparring – Kumite (sounds like Coo-meh-tay)

  • Stance – Dachi (sounds like Dah-chee)

  • Stop – Yame (sounds like Yah-may)

  • Strike – Uchi (sounds like Oo-chee)

  • Sweep – Barai (sounds like Baa-rye)

  • Teacher/Instructor – Sensei (sounds like Sen-say)

  • Technique – Waza (sounds like Waa-Zaa)

  • Thank You (Formal) – Domo Arigato

  • Throat – Nodo (sounds like No-doe)

  • Throw – Nage

  • Thrust – Kekomi

  • Turn Around – Mawatte (sounds like Ma-wa-tay)

  • Unarmed Combat – Taijutsu

  • Uniform – Gi (sounds like Ghee)

  • Upper (Level) – Jodan (sounds like Joe-dan)

  • Void or State of No Mind – Mushin

  • Yes – Hai (sounds like Hi)

  • You – Anata (sounds like Ah-na-ta)

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