Michigan Suibukan - Terms Used in the Dojo
Numbers Blocks Kicks Punches
1 Ichi
2 Ni
3 San
4 Shi
5 Go
6 Roku
7 Shichi
8 Hachi
9 Ku
10 Ju
Gedan Barai Uke Low Block
Age Uke
Jodan Uke
Rising Block
High Block
Ude Uke Middle Block
Shotei Uke Palm heel block
Stances  
Neko ashi dachi Cat Stance
Zenkutsu dachi Front Stance
Kiba dachi Horse Stance
Kokutsu dachi Back Stance
Mae Geri Front Kick
Yoko Geri Side Kick
Mawashi Geri Round Kick
Ushiro Geri Back kick
Mikazuke Geri Crescent Kick
Ashi Barai Foot sweep
Fumikomi Geri Stamping Kick
Hiza Geri Knee Kick
Kanketsu Geri Stamping kick, joint kick
Mae Tobi Geri Jumping front kick
Yoko Geri Keage Side Snap Kick
Yoko Geri Kekomi Side Thrust Kick
Yoko Tobi Geri Jumping Side Thrust Kick
Shuto (uke) Knife hand
Oi zuki Middle Punch
Age zuki High Punch
Gyaku zuki Reverse Punch
Empi Elbow Strike
Haito Uchi Ridge hand strike
Hiji Uchi Elbow strike
Kagi zuki Hook punch
Kizami zuki Leading punch or jab
Mawashi zuki Round hook punch
Nihon zuki Double punch
Seiken zuki Fore fist strike
Shotei zuki Palm Heel thrust
Uraken Uchi Back fist strike

Commands & Basic Dojo Terms General Terminology General Terminology (cont.)
Kiensike Attention
Hajime Begin
Rei Bow
Yame Stop
Seiza Kneeling position
Sensei ni rei Bow to Teacher
Rei Bow
Mokusho Quiet Thought, Meditate
Mawatte Turn Around
Shomen Front of Dojo
Shomen ni rei Bow to the front
Hidari Left
Kamae Ready Position
Migi Right
Yoi Ready
Budo Martial way
Bugei Martial arts
Bunkai Applications of kata movements
Bushi Warrior
Bushido Way of the warrior
Do Way or path
Eku An Oar
Gi Uniform
Ippon Kumite One step sparring
Kama Grass sickle (an Okinawan weapon)
Karate Open Hand, empty hand
Karate do The way of karate
Karate ka Karate practicioner
Kiai "Spirit meeting" - a loud yell or shout
Kyusho Vital point
Makiwara Punching post
Meijin Expert
Obi Belt
Nunchaku An Okinawan weapon - two 1 foot lengths of wood hinged together by a cord.
Sai A steel pronged truncheon
Shihan Master (can be 5th dan and above)
Tamashiwari To test and to break
Teisho Palm heel
Tonfa On Okinawan weapon, similar to a sidearm used by the Police
Waza Techniques

This document was originally developed by Terence Conklin, referencing a variety of sources. There were in several cases multiple spellings given for the same Japanese words. As such, the Japanese presented is only for the purposes of 'sounds like,' and meant to hopefully most closely approximate what you will hear in the dojo, as spelled by a North American English speaker.

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