This page lists several of the Japanese common karate terms along with their English translations. Linked Items will take you to multimedia presentations describing the technique or term.

Japanese Term 

English Translation 

Additional Notes 

Seiken 

Fore-fist 

A regular fist. Striking is done with the first two knuckles. 

Uraken 

Back-fist 

Striking done with the first two large knuckles of a regular fist

Tettsui 

Hammer-fist 

Striking with the bottom of the fist. 

Hiraken 

Fore-Knuckle Punch 

See Seiken 

Shuto 

Knife Hand 

Using the outside edge of open hand. Commonly used in Shuto-uke and Shuto-ushi. 

Haito-ushi 

Ridge Hand Strike 

Ippon Nukite 

Spear Hand Thrust 

Striking with the finger tips of the open hand. 

Tieto-Ushi 

Palm Hell Strike 

Empi-Ushi 

Elbow Strike 

Koshi 

Ball of Foot 

Striking point commonly used in the Mae Geri. 

Sokoto 

Edge of Foot 

Striking point commonly used in the Yoko Geri. 

Kakato 

Heel of Foot 

Commonly used for the Ushiro Geri. 

Hiza Geri 

Knee Strike 

Zenkutsu-dachi 

Forward Stance 

Kokutsu-dachi 

Back Stance 

 

Kiba-dachi 

Horse Stance 

Sanchin-dachi 

Hour Glass Stance 

Hangetsu-dachi 

Half-moon Stance 

Fudo-dachi 

Immoveable Stance 

Nekoshi-dachi 

Cat Stance 

Gedan Barai 

Downward Sweeping Block 

Jodan Uke 

Upward Block 

Chudan Soto-Uke 

Outside-in Middle Forearm Block 

Chudan Uchi-uke 

Inside-out Middle Forearm Block 

Shuto-Uke 

Knife Hand Block 

Morote Uke 

Augmented Forearm Block 

Juji Uke 

X-Block 

Gyaku-Zuki 

Reverse Punch 

Oi-Zuki 

Lunge Punch 

Mawashi-zuki 

Roundhouse Punch 

Mae-geri 

Front Kick 

Performed either snapping (keage) or thrusting (Kekomi). 

Yoko-geri 

Side Kick 

Performed either snapping (keage) or thrusting (Kekomi). 

Mawashi-geri 

Roundhouse Kick 

 

Ushiro-geri 

Back Kick 

Ippon-Ken 

One Knuckle Punch 

Performed by extending the middle knuckle of the forefinger as a striking surface. 

Nakadaka-Ken 

Middle Knuckle Punch 

Performed as the Ippon-Ken except using the middle finger's center knuckle. 

Haishu 

Backhand Slap 

Koshi 

Ball of the Foot 

Used as the striking point for several kicks most commonly the Mae-Geri. 

Sokuto 

Edge of Foot 

Used as the striking point for the Yoko-Geri. 

Kakato 

Heel 

Striking point for several kicks including the Ushiro-Geri. 

Hizagashira 

Knee Strike 

Kizami-Zuki 

Jab 

Front fist punch. 

Mawashi-Zuki 

Roundhouse Punch 

Mae-Tobe-Geri 

Jumping Front Kick. 

Yoko-Tobe-Geri 

Jumping Side Kick.