Japanese Terms
Although most instruction at JKA Boston is in English, we usually count in Japanese. Here are some Japanese terms that you may hear during class.
Counting
| Japanese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ichi | eech | one |
| ni | nee | two |
| san | sahn | three |
| shi | shee | four |
| go | goh | five |
| roku | rohk | six |
| shichi | seech | seven |
| hachi | hahtch | eight |
| ku | koo | nine |
| ju | joo | ten |
Commands
| Japanese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| seiza | kneel |
| moku-so | meditate |
| rei | bow |
| shomen ni rei | bow to the front |
| Sensei ni rei | bow to Sensei |
| yo-oi | ready |
| kamae | take position |
| mawatte | turn |
| hajime | begin |
| yame | end (recover) |
Stances
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| heisoku-dachi | attention stance |
| hachiji-dachi | ready position |
| kiba-dachi | horse stance |
| zenkutsu-dachi | front stance |
| kokutsu-dachi | back stance |
| sochin-dachi | rooted stance |
| sanchin-dachi | hourglass stance |
| nekoashi-dachi | cat stance |
| hangetsu-dachi | half moon stance |
Punches and Hand Techniques
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| oi-zuki | step-in punch |
| kizami-zuki | jab |
| gyaku-zuki | reverse punch |
| nukite | spear-hand thrust |
| kagi-suki | hook punch |
| uraken | back fist |
Blocks
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| age-uke | rising block |
| soto-uke | outside block |
| uchi-uke | inside block |
| shuto-uke | knife-hand block |
| gedan-barai | down block |
| juji-uke | x-block |
Kicks
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| mae-geri | front kick |
| yoko-geri | side kick |
| keagi | snap kick |
| kekomi | thrust kick |
| mawashi-geri | roundhouse kick |
| ushiro-geri | back kick |
| mae-ashi | front leg |
Kata Numbers
| Kata Family | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Heian | Shodan | 1 |
| Nidan | 2 | |
| Sandan | 3 | |
| Yondan | 4 | |
| Godan | 5 | |
| Tekki | Shodan | 1 |
| Nidan | 2 | |
| Sandan | 3 |