Kata curriculum & terminology

Kiyotsuke

Attention.

Shizentai

Natural posture.

Heisoku Dachi

Feet together.

Mutsubi Dachi

Bowing stance — heels together, toes apart.

Heiko Dachi

Ready stance (Yoi).

Hachiji Dachi

Open stance, slightly wider than shoulders.

Kiba Dachi

Horse-riding stance.

Shiko Dachi

Like Kiba Dachi but with toes pointed outward (sumo stance).

Fudo (Sochin) Dachi

Rooted / diagonal horse stance.

Zenkutsu Dachi

Forward stance.

Kokutsu Dachi

Back stance, on a single line.

Neko Ashi Dachi

Cat stance.

Sanchin Dachi

Hourglass stance — short Kiba Dachi with knees and toes turned inward.

Hangetsu Dachi

Wider Sanchin stance.

Yoi

Ready.

Seiken Tsuki

Closed fist punch.

Gyaku Tsuki

Reverse punch — fist opposite to the front leg.

Oi Tsuki

Lunge punch — punch and front foot move together.

Age Tsuki

Rising punch.

Mawashi Tsuki

Roundhouse / hook punch.

Yama Tsuki

Double mountain punch (simultaneous double fist).

Nukite

Spear-hand thrust.

Uraken Uchi

Back-fist strike.

Tettsui Uchi

Hammer-fist strike.

Haishu Uchi

Back-hand strike (open hand).

Shuto Uchi

Knife-hand strike.

Haito Uchi

Ridge-hand strike — inner edge of the hand (opposite of Shuto).

Teisho Uchi

Palm-heel strike.

Empi Uchi

Elbow strike.

Mae Geri Keage

Front snap kick.

Mae Geri Kekomi

Front thrust kick — deep, driving.

Yoko Geri Keage

Side snap kick with the outer edge of the foot.

Yoko Geri Kekomi

Side thrust kick with the outer edge of the foot.

Ushiro Geri

Back kick with a turn.

Mawashi Geri

Roundhouse kick with the instep or outer edge of the foot.

Mikatsuki Geri

Inward crescent kick — clears the opponent’s guard or strikes the face.

Mae Tobi Geri (Nidan Geri)

Jumping front kick.

Yoko Tobi Geri

Jumping side kick.

Age Uke

Rising block — defends against face-level attacks.

Soto Uke

Outside block at chest height with the outer forearm.

Uchi Uke

Inside block at chest height with the inner forearm.

Gedan Barai

Low sweeping block — defends against low attacks.

Shuto Uke

Knife-hand block.

Otoshi Uke

Dropping block with the outer forearm.

Gedan Uke

Hooking inward block against attacks to the abdomen.

Juji Uke

X-block.

Nami Ashi

Block kicking with the sole of the foot ("inside snapping wave").

Mikatsuki Geri Uke

Block using a crescent kick.

Yodan (Jodan)

Face / upper level.

Chudan

Chest / mid level.

Gedan

Below the belt / lower level.

Shuto

Edge of the open hand (knife-hand).

Seiken

Fore-knuckles.

Haiso

Heel of the palm.

Teicho

Back of the hand.

Empi

Elbow.

Hiza

Knee.

Teisoku

Instep.

Sokuto

Edge of the foot.

Kakato

Heel.

Hidari

Left.

Migui

Right.

Ichi

One.

Ni

Two.

San

Three.

Shi

Four.

Go

Five.

Roku

Six.

Shichi

Seven.

Hachi

Eight.

Ku

Nine.

Yu (Ju)

Ten.

Dogi (Karategui)

Karate uniform.

Sensei

Teacher.

Karate

Way of the empty hand.

Dojo

Place of training.

Kata

Form.

Hajime

Begin.

Yasume

Rest.

Yame

Stop.

Kaette

Turn / return.

Mokuso

Meditation.

Shomen

Front.

Saeza

Kneeling bow.

Tate

Stand up.

Osu

Yes / understood / thanks / acknowledged.

Naotte

Return to upright position.

Zanshin

Lingering, alert spirit after a technique.

Kihon Kumite

Basic combat techniques.

Jiyu Ippon Kumite

Semi-free one-point sparring.

Jiyu Kumite

Free sparring.

Kiritsu

Stand up.

Kumite

Sparring.

Ushiro

Technique executed backwards.

Dojo-Kun

Code of conduct.

Shihan

Great master.

Sempai

Senior student.

Kohai

Beginner.

Otagai ni rei

Bow to one another.

Shugo

Line up.

Sensei Ni Rei

Bow to the teacher.

Ibuki

Diaphragmatic breathing with abdominal contraction.