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. |