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Dojo Terminology

A.

• Age Uke          - Upward Block.
• Age Zuki          - Rising Punch.
• Arigato             - Thank you.
• Ashi                 - Foot.
• Ashi Waza        - All leg and foot techniques.
• Atama              - Head.
• Atemi               - Striking a vital area.

(Ashi Waza - Grandmaster Tatsuo Shimabuku & Harry Smith)

B.

• Bo                    - A long stick used as a weapon (approximately 6 feet long).
• Budo                - "Martial way."  The Japanese meaning for "BU" is martial and

   “Do” is way”.

• Bunkai              - The study of techniques as it applies to Kata.
• Bushido            - The way of the warrior.

(Bo – Grandmaster Tatsuo Shimabuku)

C.

• Choku Zuki      - A Straight punch.
• Chudan            - Mid-section or chest area.
• Chuda Zuki      - A punch to the opponent’s chest area.
• Chudan-Uke    - Chest area block.

(Choku Zuki – Bob Hill)

D.

• Dachi               - Stance
• Dan                  - Degree or Rank.  Black belt ranks.
• Deshi                -Student.
• Do                   - Way or path.  In karate it is the way to enlightenment.

• Dojo                - The traditional place to  practice Karate. The place of the “Way”.
• Domo Arigato  - Thank you very much.
• Dozo                - Please.

(Dojo - Grandmaster Tatsuo Shimabuku’s Agena dojo (1960))

E.

• Ekku                - Wooden oar.
• Empi                - Elbow.
• Enkei                - Circular motion.

(Empi – Don Bohan)

F.

• Fudo Dachi      - Rooted stance.

G.

• Ganmen            - Face
• Gedan              - Lower-section / lower body area.
• Gedan Barai     - Low or down block.
• Gedan Zuki      - Low punch or a punch to an opponent’s lower body parts.
• Geri                  - Kick.
• Gi                     - A traditional Japanese / Okinawan Karate uniform.
• Go                   - Five.
• Godan              - Fifth degree black belt.

(Geri – Karl Hovey)

H.

• Hachi               - Eight.
• Hachidan          - Eighth degree Black Belt.
• Hai                   - Yes.
• Hajime             - The command to begin or start.
• Hanshi              - A title given to the highest-ranking black belt or grandmaster.
• Hara                 - Stomach.
• Harai                - Sweeping.
• Hatio                - Ridge Hand.
• Hiza                 - Knee.
• Hiza Geri          - Knee strike.

I.

·        Ichi                   - One.

·        Ippon               - One or one technique.

• Ippon Ken        - One knuckle punch.
• Ippon Kumite   - One-step sparring.
• Ippon Nukitte   - Striking with or punching with the extended index finger.
• Isshin-Ryu        - “One Heart Way”.

(Ippon Kumite – Donald Bohan & Dan Glover)

J.

·        Jo                     - A 4’-5’ wooden staff..

• Jodan               - Upper-section / high head level.
• Ju                     - Ten.
• Judan               - Tenth degree Black Belt.
• Judo                 - The gentle way.
• Jun Zuki           - Lunge Punch

K.

• Kakato             - Heel
• Kakon              - Chin
• Kama               - Sickle
• Kamae             - Ready/posture..
• Kara                - Empty.
• Karate              - Empty handed.
• Karate-Do       - The way of the empty hand.
• Karateka          -  A karate practitioner.
• Kata                 - A prescribed pattern of karate movements.
• Kate Geri         - Hook kick.
• Ki                    - Mind/Sprit/Energy.
• Kiai                  - A yell used for the purpose of focusing  one's energy into a single

  karate movement or technique.

• Kiba Dachi       - Horse (straddle leg) stance.
• Kime                - The focus of one’s power or energy.

• Koshi               - The ball of the foot.
• Konichi-Wa     - Good afternoon.
• Koban-Wa       - Good evening.
• Kubi                 - Neck.
• Kubudo            - The art of studying weapons.
• Kudan              - Ninth degree Black Belt.
• Kyu                  - Nine or any rank below that of Shodan.

     (Kama – Gary Bush)

M.

• Mae                 - Front.
• Mae Geri          - Front Kick.
• Mae Ashi Geri – A lead leg front kick.
• Makiwara         -Striking board/or post.
• Matte               - Wait.
• Mawashi Geri  - A Roundhouse kick.
• Mawashi Zuki   - A roundhouse punch.
• Migi                 - Right or right side.
• Mikazuki Geri   - Crescent Kick.
• Mune               - Chest.
• Mushin             - The sate of no mind.

(Mae Geri – Karl Hovey)

N.

• Naihanchi                     - Iron Horse.
• Naihanchi-Danchi         - Side stance.
• Nanadan                      - Seventh degree Black Belt.
• Neko-Ashi-Dashi         - Cat Stance.
• Ni                                - Two
• Nidan                           - Second Degree Black Belt.
• Nukite                          -Fingertips/spear hand.
• Numite                         - A spear hand.
• Nunchaku                     - An Okinawan farm tool used to thrash rice straw that was

        converted into a weapon.  It consisting of two sticks being connected by rope or chain.

(Nunchaku – Karl Hovey)

O.

• Obi                  - A belt.

R.

• Rei                   - To bow / A method of showing respect in the Dojo.
• Renshei            - A person who is considered to be an expert instructor.
• Riken-Uchi       - A back fist strike.
• Roku                - Six.
• Rokudan          - Sixth degree black belt.

(Rei – Donald Bohan (1974))

S.

• Sai                   - An Okinawan weapon.
• San                  - Three.
• Sandan             - Third degree black belt.
• Sanchin-Dachi  - The hourglass stance/Pigeon-toed.
• Seiken              - Front fist.
• Sempai             - A senior student.
• Sensei              - Teacher / The title given to the instructor leading karate practice. 

   If  this person  is the head instructor of the Dojo this is their title

                                       permanent title.

• Shi                   - Four.
• Shichi               - Seven.

• Shiai                 - A promoted match or contest.
• Shihan              - Master instructor / A teacher of teachers.
• Shuto               - Knife hand.
• Shuto Uke        - Knife hand block.
• Shodan             - First degree black belt.
• Souke              - Tatsuo Shimabuku’s nickname.
• Sokuto             - The side of the foot.
• Suigetsu            - The solar plexus.

(Sai - Grandmaster Tatsuo Shimabuku)

T.

• Tanden             - The area below the navel and the center of Ki.
• Tate Zuki          - Vertical punch.
• Tatsuo Shimabuku        - Founder of Isshin-Ryu Karate-Do.
• Te                    - Hand.
• Tetsui               - Hammer fist.
• Tsuzukete         - To fight on.
• Tobi Geri          - Jump kick.
• Tonfa               - A rice grinding farm tool developed into a weapon by the

   Okinawans.

(Tobi Geri – Rick Niemira)

U.

• Uchi                 - Inside.
• Uke                  - Block.
• Ukemi Waza    - Breaking techniques.
• Uraken             - Back fist or back knuckle.
• Ushiro Geri       - A back kick.

(Ukemi Waza – Rick Niemira)

W.

• Waza               - Technique/s.

(Waza - Grandmaster Tatsuo Shimabuku)

Y.

• Yame               - To stop or the command to stop.
• Yasumi             - To rest.
• Yondan            - Fourth degree black belt.
• Yoko               - Side.
• Yoko Geri        - Sidekick.
• Yoko Tobi Geri            - Flying side kick.

(Yoko Geri - Dale Minor (1974))

Z.

• Zenkutsu-Dachi            - A Forward stance.
• Zori                              - A pair of Japanese slippers.
• Zuki                             - Punch.

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