Japanese term | English translation |
| Ashi | Foot, leg |
| Bu-Do | Martial art |
| Chudan | Mid level of body (chest area) |
| Dojo | Training hall |
| Embusen | Performance line (a pattern formed by the movements which make up a kata) |
| Empi | Elbow (also referred to as hiji) |
| Fukuwan | Belly arm (the anterior surface of the forearm leading to the palm) |
| Gedan | Lower lever of the body / downward |
| Do-Gi | training uniform (pronounced ‘Doh-Gee’ with the G as in ‘Grass’) |
| Gohon Kumite | Five step kumite |
| Gyaku | Reverse or opposite |
| Haisoku | Instep |
| Haito | Ridge hand |
| Haiwan | Posterior area of forearm leading to back of hand |
| Hara | Lower abdomen |
| Hidari | Left |
| Hiza | Knee |
| Ichigeki Hissatsu | To kill with one blow |
| Ippon Kumite | One step sparring |
| Jiyu Ippon kumite | Free style one step sparring |
| Jiyu Kumite | Free sparring |
| Jodan | Upper level (face area) |
| Kakato | Heal of the foot |
| Kamae | Ready position |
| Karate-Do | The way or path of karate |
| Kata | Pre-arranged forms comprising of a series of offensive and defensive techniques against imaginary opponents |
| Keri | Kick (pronounced geri when preceded by another word eg: mae-geri) |
| Kiai | A loud shout such as ‘yaaa’ timed to coincide with a decisive technique |
| Kihon | Basics |
| Kihon Ippon Kumite | Basic one step sparring |
| Kizami | Lunging punch |
| Kobudo | Traditional martial arts |
| Kobushi | Fist (also referred to as seiken) |
| Koshi | Ball of foot (also referred to as tossu) |
| Kumite | Sparring |
| Maai | Distance between two opponents |
| Mae | Front, forward |
| Makiwara | Punching board |
| Migi | Right |
| Mokuso | Silent meditation |
| Obi | Belt |
| Ossu | Formal greeting / confirmation |
| Seiza | Traditional japanese style of sitting |
| Shuto | Knife hand |
| Sokuso | Tips of toes |
| Sokusei | Sole of foot |
| Sokuto | Edge or ridge of foot |
| Soto | Outside, outside to inside |
| Tachi | Stance. (pronounced dachi when preceded by another word as in zenkutsu-dachi) |
| Tai-Sabaki | Body movement |
| Tate | Verticle |
| Te | Hand |
| Tenshin | Body rotation |
| Tsuki | Punch |
| Uchi | Strike. inside. inside to outside |
| Ude | Arm |
| Uke | Block |
| Ushiro | Back, reverse |
| Yakusoku Kumite | Promise sparring |
| Yoi | Call to assume the ready position |
| Yoko | Side, horizontal |
| Zanshin | State of physical and mental preparedness |
| Stances | |
|---|---|
| Fudo Dachi | Rooted stance |
| Hachiji Dachi | Open ‘v’ stance |
| Hangetsu Dachi | Half moon stance |
| Kiba Dachi | Straddle stance |
| Kokutsu Dachi | Back stance |
| Musubi Dachi | Closed ‘v’ stance |
| Neko Ashi Dachi | Cat stance |
| Sanchin Dachi | Hour glass stance |
| Zenkutsu Dachi | Front stance |
| Hand / arm techniques | |
| Age-Uke | Rising block |
| Choku-Zuki | Straight punch |
| Chudan Shuto-Uke | Mid level knife hand block |
| Chudan Soto-Uke | Mid level outside to inside block |
| Chudan Uchi-Uke | Mid level inside to outside block |
| Empi-Uchi | Elbow strike |
| Gedan Barai | Downward block |
| Gedan Juji-Uke | Downward ‘x’ block |
| Gyaku-Zuki | Reverse punch |
| Haishu-Uchi | Back hand strike |
| Haishu-Uke | Back hand block |
| Ippon Ken | One knuckle fist |
| Kagi-Zuki | Hook punch |
| Kakuto | Bent wrist |
| Kizami-Zuki | Lunge punch |
| Mawashi Empi | Round elbow strike |
| Morote Uke | Aumented block |
| Morote-Zuki | Double fist punch |
| Nagashi-Uke | Sweeping block |
| Nukite | Spear hand |
| Oi-Zuki | Stepping straight punch |
| Sanbon Zuki | Three punch combination |
| Seiken | Fist |
| Shuto | Knife hand |
| Teisho | Palm heel |
| Tettsui | Hammer fist |
| Uchi | Strike |
| Uke | Block |
| Uraken | Back fist |
| Urazuki | Close punch |
| Leg / foot techniques | |
| Ashi Barai | Leg sweep |
| Fumikomi | Stamp kick |
| Keage | Snap kick |
| Kekomi | Thrust kick |
| Mae-Geri | Front kick |
| Mawashi-Geri | Roundhouse kick |
| Mikazuki-Geri | Crescent kick |
| Ren-Geri | Consecutive kicks |
| Tobi-Geri | Jumping kick |
| Ushiro-Geri | Reverse / back kick |
| Yoko-Geri | Side kick |
| Numbers 1 to 10 | |
| Ichi | 1 |
| Ni | 2 |
| San | 3 |
| Shi | 4 |
| Go | 5 |
| Roku | 6 |
| Shichi | 7 |
| Hachi | 8 |
| Ku | 9 |
| Jyu | 10 |
The 14th Dalai Lama