The following Japanese and Okinawan terms are used frequently in Jersey Bushido Kai Karate-do Dojo. Students must be familiar with these terms for rank tests and a greater understanding of Karate-Do. This guide expands on the definitions of the original IsshinRyu Karate-Do terminology sheet, as found in the Encyclopedia of IsshinRyu Karate, by Joseph Jenkins and Angi Uezu.

General Terms: These terms are used often in the dojo or are referred to frequently in conversation about IsshinRyu Karate-Do. It is a good idea to learn them and be familiar with them.

Karate: empty hand. Originally, karate meant Chinese hand, since Karate-Do was derived from various Shaolin kung-fu schools. However, during the occupation of Japan and Okinawa, the character of emptiness was substituted for China, thus giving a new meaning- empty hand.
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Isshin: one heart. This is a compound word, from ichi (one) and shin (mind or heart).
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Ryu: style. In a general sense, a particular school’s way of performing their martial art. Originally from the Chinese word “liu” meaning stream or small river.
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Do: way. During the Tokugawa Shogun era, warriors were forbidden from practicing their fighting abilities so they refined their skills in combination with Buddhist practices. The term “do” is derived from the Chinese word “Tao”, meaning way or path.
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Bushi: warrior. This term originated with the samurai. It is composed of bu (war) and shi (man). A bushi was a man of war, one who studied the aspects of combat and dedicated his life to it.
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Bushido: way of the warrior. Composed of three parts bu (war), shi (man), and do (way), bushido described the total way of the samurai, from the fighting aspects, the arts such as ikebana (flower arranging) and haiku (poetry), to the strict moral and ethical code of the samurai.

Shihan: Master. This is a term used for artists of high rank and indicates a great deal of respect for that person.
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Sensei: teacher. In Japanese, sensei is the term used for doctors, lawyers, and teachers. It is a term of respect and not a teacher in the literal sense. It is composed of two characters, sen (before) and sei (born) and means someone who has gone before you on the path. A teacher in the literal sense is a kyoshi.
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Shiai: contest. This is a competition between martial artists and is usually a fight to prove who is the superior fighter. In IsshinRyu Karate-do, a shiai is often a gathering of the school and a demonstration of skills. A more serious contest is called a “kakidameshi” or death match and is never used anymore.
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Mokuso: meditation. This is the mental and spiritual side of karate. Meditation is either seated or moving and helps to clear the mind of distraction and unwanted thought.
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Rei: bow. The bow is a gesture of respect in Japanese culture and is always performed when entering and leaving the dojo, and to others regardless of rank when offering or receiving assistance.
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Hajime: begin. This is used to start kumite, or sparring matches. When combined with “mashita” as in uhajimemashita~ it means welcome- literally, good beginning.
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Kamae: guard. A kamae is the position or positions in which you execute techniques. There are many guards, each appropriate to the situation. It can take half a lifetime to discover all of the kamae.
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Kiotsuke: attention. This is a formal position that is used when being addressed by teachers, or when beginning formal routines, such as entering, leaving, or practicing kata. It is the position which you bow from.
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Yasume: relax, repose. This is an informal position which originated in the Japanese navy. Soldiers would relax by placing, the left leg in front of the right, breaking the rigid posture of attention (kiotsuke).
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Dojo: training hall. This is composed of two characters, do (way) and jo (place). It literally means a place for following a path of enlightenment- such as karate. It is an old saying in Buddhism that anyplace can be a dojo.
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Aite: opponent. In Karate-Do you will encounter many situations in which you will be executing techniques against another person. Sometimes it may be a fight on the street or a partner for judo exercises. Regardless, treat all aite with respect since each is helping you grow and learn.
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Kumite: sparring. This is composed of two characters, kumi (set) and te (hand). Literally, set hand. In IsshinRyu Karate-do, kumite is a way of testing your timing, distancing, and control when executing techniques against an opponent. Often we wear protective gear to prevent or minimize injury.
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Waza: technique. Techniques are the basis and the heart and soul of Karate-Do. Uke cells in the body, they are the building blocks from which Karate-Do grows. Remember that a few techniques performed well is far superior to many techniques performed poorly.
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Gi: uniform. The gi is the practice uniform that we wear for Karate-Do. It is composed of the happi (top), zubon (pants), and obi (belt). The gi is actually the type of clothing worn by the peasant class in Okinawa, and the original gi were an odd brown color from the dyes used to strengthen the cloth.

Obi: belt. There are many colored belts in IsshinRyu Karate-Do and each is a different color, signifying a different rank. They are: shiro white, kiiro yellow, orenji iro orange, midori iro, green ao, blue murasaki, ro purple, chairo brown, kuro black aka red
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Kiai: shout. Literally, ki (breath) and ai (harmony), the kiai is used to expel air from the body (thus preventing getting the “wind knocked out”), to unify the body and mind, and to startle the opponent.
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Kime: focus. This literally means “tightening the mind”. Focus is essential in Karate-Do. Without it, techniques are powerless and sloppy, kata are poor, and fights are lost.
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Kyu: grade. literally, boy. The kyu grades are the ranks beneath black belt (shodan) and were regarded in Japan as uboys~, hence the term.
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Kyusho: vital points. Vital points, or pressure points, are inherent weaknesses in the human anatomy. It is these weaknesses which allow a disadvantaged fighter to even the odds or even put the odds of winning a confrontation to his advantage.
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Dan: degree. Literally, man. The dan grades are the ten ranks of black belt. In the Japanese arts a practitioner was considered a man when he achieved his first black belt.
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Shodan: black belt. The shodan is the first black belt rank. It is widely considered to be the second beginning of Karate-Do for the practitioner, as there are many new and different aspects of the art that he will have to face.
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Kata: form. A kata is a collection of continuous techniques which in some fashion tell a story. Kata are not to be taken in the literal sense but are used to develop a sense of rhythm and timing. If a practitioner finds himself in a confrontation he will not stop to think but his body will instead move naturally to defend itself.
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Arigato: thank you. There are three forms of thank-you’s in Japanese. Each is polite in its own context but could be an insult in another. “Dorno” is used to thank subordinates. “Arigato” is used to thank equals, and uarigato gozaimashita” is used to thank superiors. However, in Jersey Bushido Kai, speaking in English with a respectful tone is equally acceptable.
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Tameshiwari: breaking. Karate is most known to the general public for this aspect- the breaking of bricks, boards, concrete, blocks of ice, etc. However, the true purpose of tameshiwari is not for demonstration or showmanship, but instead is a test. lt takes a great deal of courage to believe that flesh and bone can be stronger than stone or wood, and even greater courage to test oneself against these elements.
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Uchi: strike. A strike is the use of any part of the body in an offensive manner. A punch is a strike, as is a kick, or a headbutt, or an elbow strike. The term uchi is generally used when a more specific temi does not exist. For example, a punch is a “tsuki” and thus “ucl-ii” would not be used.
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Dachi (Tachi): stance. A stance is the positioning of the legs and lower body. Stances are parts of kamae (guards) and like kamae are not static, but ever changing to fit the situation. Dachi are important for the correct foundation- a house with a weak foundation will surely collapse.

Karateka: practitioner of Karate-Do. This is composed of the three parts kara (empty), te (hand), and ka (person). Literally it could mean a person of the empty hand, but generally it means a Karate-Do practitioner.
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Hachimaki: head band. When practicing strenuously, sweat can often bead on the forehead and run into the eyes, obstructing vision. The hachimaki absorbs much of this sweat, keeping vision clear.
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Seiza: formal seated position. This is a position in which the body is seated on the knees. To Westerners, this can be a very uncomfortable position to maintain. Seiza is used for formal occasions and ceremonies or formal bowing (za-rei).
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Makiwara: striking post. Okinawan farmers, in order to develop strength in their punches, would take a wooden post, bundle up some straw, and tie it together with rope, then punch it. This wore down and callused their knuckles and made their punches very strong— the makiwara was a medieval version of a heavy bag.
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Bunkai: explanation. The techniques of a kata are not just for exercise or show. Each technique has a purpose and a function. The bunkai is what enables a practitioner to fully understand a kata and gain the most out of it.
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Ma-ai: distancing. Distancing is essential in Karate-Do. Much of the kata relies on the body knowing where it is at all times. A fight is even more reliant on distancing- the proper distance for a kick or a punch, for example. Without distancing, the usefulness of Karate-Do is diminished severely.
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Ippon (tokuten): point. In contests, points are awarded for performance of techniques. Whether it is in performance of kata or in sparring, scoring is the means of quantitatively determining a winner.
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Mizu Gami: water goddess. On the IsshinRyu Karate-do patch there is a central figure, the Shinto Goddess of Water. Analogous in many ways to Neptune of Roman mythology, Mizu Gami is the Japanese deity of the waters. Her formal name is Goshinju Kami.
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Ippon kumite: One step sparring. This could also be translated as one point or one form sparring. Ippon kumite emphasizes single attacks and defenses, where two people continually alternate.
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Matte: stop. Uterally, wait. The polite form is tomete kudasai. Matte is called when ending a sparring match, when calling the class to order, or simply to stop an activity. Students are expected to immediately cease whatever they are doing.
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Bo: staff. The staff is one of the oldest weapons. The original staff forms came from China, where the staff was called a “kwon”. When the forms were brought to Okinawa, the staff was known as a “kun” and then a “bo” in Japan.
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Sai: hand swords. Sai are not swords. In fact, experts are hard-pressed to agree on exactly what a sai is. It is shaped similar to a parrying dagger, but has neither point nor edge. Some theorize that the sai was a farming implement in India, where it originated as a means of planting seeds in hard soil.
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Nunchaku: jointed sticks. The nunchaku are perhaps the most famous martial arts weapon because of their “flashy” appearance and their prominence in martial arts films. The nunchaku originated in Okinawa as farming tools used for pounding beans into paste.
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Tonfa (tuifa): handle. The tonfa, the precursor to modem police batons, began as a handle which turned large grindstones to separate the rice from the chaff. The farmers used the tonfa as a weapon because of its low profile amidst a pile of farming tools.
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Kama: sickle. The sickle in Okinawa was a slightly curved blade attached to a stick. It was used heavily as it was the only bladed weapon farmers had. A variant of the kama, called the kusarigama, had a rope with a hoop on the end attached to the sickle, enabling farmers to entrap weapons and then attack the unarmed opponent.
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Mushin: no mind. Composed of two characters mu (negative particle) and shin (heart or spirit), mushin is the essence of zen. It is the state in which action is not preceded by thought. For example, when you walk, you do not think about each step. You just walk. This is mushin.
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Yakusoku Kumite: pre-an-anged sparring. Put together by Master Angi Uezu, yakusoku kumite is a series of five routines which aid in the development of rhythm, distancing (ma-ai), and timing (jikan).
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Simban: referee. Simban oversee kumite matches and judge whether contestants have scored points. Simban are also responsible for the safety of the contestants. Simban are generally high ranking practitioners, because in older times if the contestants chose to move into a real fight, the simban would need to be able to break it up.
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Tatami: straw mat. The tatami was used widely in Japan. These mats were woven out of straw and were used in dojo as a primitive falling mat. They also served as a sort of carpet in Japanese houses. Tatami are very brittle and shoes should never be worn while walking on tatami. Sandals or tabi (type of sock) should be wom.
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Yame: halt, rest. Yame is similar in use to matte. When in contest, yame means the stop of all action, and to return to ready position. Matte in competition generally means the end of the match.
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Yudansha: black belt holder. Yudansha is composed of three parts, yu (a positive particle), dan (man), and sha (person). Put together, they mean uman having degree” or black belt holder. The opposite is mudansha, with mu (negative particle).Parts of the Body: IsshinRyu Karate-Do began as an empty handed art, before the weapons were added. As such, it is vital for practitioners to know the parts of the body, and what they are called in the native Japanese language.
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Foot (ashi) and lower body
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Soku-tei: ball. This is the large bone directly beneath the big toe. It is the primary kicking instrument.
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Kakato: heel. The heel is used for thrusting kicks such as the back kick or front thrust. If the ankle is weak, the heel can also be used in place of the edge for the side blade kick.
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Haisoku: instep. The instep is used for some roundhouse kicks and the kinteki (testicle) kick. It is also a target for stomping kicks.
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Sokuto: blade. This is the very outside edge of the foot and is used in the side and front blade kicks.
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Achi: arch. The arch is used for a better fit in knee kicks. It fits the shape of the leg better.
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Hiza: knee. The knee is used in some of the most powerful driving strikes.
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Ashiyubi: toe. The toes are rarely used in Karate-Do, except for toe kicks with shoes on.
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Hand (te) and Arm (ude)
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Kobushi: knuckles. The first and second knuckles are the primary striking points of the hand.
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Yubi: finger. The fingers are used for thrusting strikes such as the nukite.
There are five:hitosashiyubi index finger, nakayubi middle finger, kusuri yubi ring finger, koyubi little finger, oyayubi thumb
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Shuto: blade hand. This is the very outside edge of the hand and is used in the infamous “karate chop”, properly called a shuto.
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Seiken: fist. The fist is the primary punching instrument in Isshin Ryu Karate-Do. In IsshinRyu Karate-Do, the fist is held vertically (knuckles top to bottom) and the thumb placed on top. This strengthens and quickens the punch and is a distinguishing characteristic of isshin Ryu Karate-Do.
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Tekubi: wrist. The wrist is often the subject of locks and holds, as it is sensitive and has a limited range of motion. In some styles the wrist is used to block. This can be a dangerous practice.
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Ude: forearm. The forearm is used primarily in blocking, although strikes do exist.
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Empi (hiji): elbow. The elbow is the counterpart to the knee and is used in close range fighting, as it is very powerful and compact.
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Kata: shoulder. The most well known use of the shoulder is for blocking, as football players block. Unfortunately, this also leaves the shoulder vulnerable to dislocation and bone breakage.
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Strikes: Striking with the parts of the body comprises the main portion of IsshinRyu Karate-Do. Therefore, intimate knowledge of the techniques is required for mastery of th~ art. Please note that this is a guide to the strikes, not an instructional lesson. The techniques cannot be learned from these words only; true learning must come from an instructor.
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Hand techniques (Te-waza): The original art of Karate-Do, before it was even named Karate-Do, was called Okinawa-Te, or Okinawan Hand. Thus, learning the traditional names for the techniques practiced will not only make the practitioner more aware of them, but also bring him closer to the essence of Karate-Do. The IsshinRyu Karate-Do techniques are derived from the teachings of Shaolin kung fu.
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Uraken Uchi: backfist strike. Performed by turning the fist palm up and snapping the wrist, thus striking with the top two knuckles.
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Kentsui: hammer fist. This technique strikes with the same edge as the shuto, but with Internet Explorer.app a closed fist. It is a blunt but powerful strike.
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Shuto: knife hand. This is composed of two characters, shu (hand) and to (sword). Some styles do translate this as “sword hand” which is equally correct. The shuto is known as the “karate chop” to many outsiders and is a versatile blocking and striking technique.
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Teisho: palm hand. The teisho is the counterpart to the soku-tei, in that it uses a large area and is a strong thrusting technique. Teisho can be applied to any part of the body as a strike or block.
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Haito: ridge hand. This technique is also known as the reverse knife hand. It is employed by using the edge of the hand from index finger to the base of the thumb.
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Nukite: spear hand. The nukite strikes with the same hand position as the shuto, but the striking surface is the tips of the fingers, in a thrusting manner. It is most useful for penetrating soft areas.
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Empi uchi: elbow strike. This is the most compact strike of the upper body, having a small radius and still generating a tremendous amount of force.
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Hiraken: fore-knuckle fist. The fingers are not entirely curled into a fist in this strike. Instead, the area of contact is the first joint of each finger.
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Ippon ken: one knuckle fist. This is a fist in which a single knuckle protrudes. For specific strikes, the name of the knuckle is placed before the strike name. For example, an index knuckle strike would be called hitosashiyubi ippon ken.
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Ude uchi: forearm strike. Similar to the “clothesline” technique of wrestling, the ude uchi is used when the opponent has passed the range of the other arm weapons, or the opponent is charging by.
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Oi tsuki: lunge punch. The lunge punch is a technique taken from Shotokan Karate-Do. The lunge punch involves leaning into the strike with the whole body similar to a high fencer’s lunge. The hand and foot of the same side move together.
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Gyaku tsuki: reverse punch. The reverse punchis simple, striking with one hand and stepping forward with the opposing foot.
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Jodan oi tsuki: uppercut. Literally, high lunge punch. The uppercut in IsshinRyu Karate-Do turns the fist at the hip and then strikes upwards, contacting with the first two knuckles.
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Tate tsuki: vertical punch. The signature IsshinRyu Karate-Do punch, the vertical punch strikes straight out from the hip, with the knuckles held vertically instead of horizontally. This leaves the practitioner less open to wrist locks and bodily injury, and speeds up the strike, considerably.
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Foot Techniques (ashi-waza): Foot techniques are among the most powerful in Karate-Do. Some styles rely heavily on the foot, such as Tae Kwon Do. IsshinRyu Karate-Do techniques are derived from Southeast Asian arts and from Hun Gar kung fu. The true techniques never rise above the waist, so as to gain the most power from them.
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Mae geri: front kick. The front kick is executed with a snap, as most Isshin Ryu Karate-Do kicks are. The striking surface is the ball of the foot, with the toes curled upwards.
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Yoko geri: side kick. The side kick also uses the ball of the foot to strike with.
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Yoko sokuto geri: side foot-blade kick, side blade kick. The side blade kick is used most for stopping opponents by striking into the ribs or knees. It is a very quick kick but not the most powerful.
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Yako sokuto tobi geri: jumping side foot-blade kick. This is often mistakenly referred to as simply a flying side kick. It is executed by jumping and executing a yoko sokuto geri at the highest point of the jump. The flying side blade kick originated with Okinawan peasants. As samurai were often mounted on horses, the farmers needed a means of dismounting the samurai and developed this jumping side blade kick which will strike into the stomach of a man on a horse.
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Ushiro geri: back kick. This kick is executed by thrusting the leg backwards and striking into the opponent with the heel, It is not a snap kick.
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Fumikomi: stomp kick. The fumikomi is also a thrusting kick, striking with the heel onto a very low target, such as an opponent’s foot.
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Hiza geri: knee kick. The knee kick is executed by bringing the knee upwards and sometimes up and inwards, with targets being the groin or ribs of the opponent. The knee kick is extremely powerful and compact, like the elbow strike.
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Mawashi geri: roundhouse kick. The roundhouse is often confused with other kicks, such as the crescent kick or hook kick. The roundhouse is executed by bringing the leg up in a semicircle and striking with the ball or instep.
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Mikazuki gen: crescent kick. The crescent kick is similar to the roundhouse, but strikes in a semicircle vertically in front of the karateka; the roundhouse semicircle is linear. A crescent kick can strike with the ball, heel, or arch.
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Kake geri: hook kick. The hook kick is similar to a reverse roundhouse; the striking surface is the back of the heel or the arch of the foot.
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Blocking techniques (uke-waza): Karate-Do is an art of self-defense, and as such blocking is essential. Blocking is the first step of a fight; as an axiom goes, “It is best to let the opponent initiate the fight and thus take the first step to their downfall.” This axiom also implies that while letting an opponent make the first movement, the movement need not connect with the practitioner.
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Gedan barai: lower block. Literally, lower body sweep. The gedan baral is often used to block kicks. The arm sweeps across the front of the body.
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Chudan uke: middle block. The middle block makes a semi-circle in front of the body, clearing a field. The block is not hit specific but covers a broad area.
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Jodan age uke: upper block. Literally, upper rising block. Again, like most IsshinRyu Karate-Do blocks, the upper block is a sweeping block, which covers the entire area in front of the body, ending above the head.
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Shuto uke: knife hand block. The shuto uke can be applied to any of the three ranges; the area of the body is inserted in the name (i.e. shuto chudan uke). The shuto uke are more specific, targeting the region of the attack with an intent to cause damage.
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Juji uke: X block. Literally, figure ten block, after the Japanese representation of the number ten. The juji uke is used to stop especiaUy powerful blows from the top or bottom.
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Tachi (stances): The foundation of the house is the most important; the stance of the karateka is equally as important. Strong stances mean that the karateka will not be moved except when he chooses to move, and he will not be stopped unless he chooses to be stopped. Know the stances, the meanings of each stance, and the shortcomings of each.
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Seisan tachi: front stance. The leading foot is exactly one length (toe to he.el) in front of the trailing foot, and the stance is a shoulder’s width apart. The seisan tachi is the most common stance from which techniques are executed.
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Tsuru-no-iwa tachi: crane stance. Literally, crane on a rock stance. This stance is commonly misnamed “Chinto stance” since it is most prominent in Chinto kata. It is a transition stance, but also very versatile and stable when performed correctly. The knees should be touching.
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Neko ashi tachi: cat stance. Literally, cat’s foot stance. This is the stance from which side techniques such as the side kick are executed. It is also a transition stance. Neko ashi tachi is very agile (like the cat) but is also very unstable unless practiced for extensive periods of time.
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Soto hachiji tachi: open leg stance. Uterally, outward figure eight stance. This stance is commonly misnamed “Seiunchin stance” because of its foundation in Seiunchin kata. Soto hachiji tachi is a stable stance, about a shoulder’s width and a half apart. It is a blend of the deep horse stance (kiba tachi), the sumo stance (shiko tachi), and the ready stance (heiko tachi).
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Kokutsu tachi: back stance. The back stance is rarely seen in IsshinRyu Karate-Do. It is similar to neko ashi tachi except that both feet are parallel and the leading foot is touching on the heel and not the ball of the foot.
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Musubi tachi: attention stance. Literally, open foot stance. This stance is the stance taken when “kiotsuke” is called. The hands are at the side and the heels touching, toes apart.
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Sanchin tachi: hourglass stance. Literally, three battles stance. This stance is named after the kata it is derived from, Sanchin kata. It is similar to seisan tachi except that the feet are turned inwards.
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Uchi hachiji tachi: inward open leg stance. Literally, inward figure eight stance. Sometimes called naka hachiji tachi, and commonly misnamed “Nai Hanchi tachi” after the kata of the same name. This stance turns the legs inward, protecting the sensitive valgus nerves from attack.
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Heiko tachi: parallel stance. This stance places both feet parallel, shoulder’s width apart. It is the most mispronounced and has been interpreted as meaning “ready stance”. Ready stance is fudo tachi.
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Counting In Japanese: In IsshinRyu Karate-Do schools, counting out the sequences of techniques is done in Japanese, and thus knowing how to count in Japanese is essential. There are two systems, an old (on the right) and the modern (on the left). Also note that in the modem system there are two words for the number four; this is because shi in another context means death, and so manywill substitute yon in its place.

Counting	in Japanese
Zero:	Rei
One:	Ichi	Hitotsu
Two:	Ni	Futatsu
Three:	San	Mittsu
Four:	Shi or (Yon)	Yottsu
Five:	Go	Itsutsu
Six:	Roku	Muttsu
Seven:	Shichi	Nanatsu
Eight:	Hachi	Yattsu
Nine:	Ku	Kokonotsu
Ten:	Ju	To
Eleven:	Ju-Ichi	Ju-Ichi
Twelve:	Ju-Ni	Ju-Ni

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Last Modifided Date
10/16/05