Glossary of Terms

Kyu: Color belt rank (before black belt)

Dan: Rank above black belt

Kohai: Junior Student

Sempai: (1st - 2nd Dan) Old or Senior Student

Sensei: (3rd - 4th Dan) Teacher

Shihan: (5th - 6th Dan) Master or Expert Instructor

Shuseki Shihan: (7th - 8th Dan) Chief Instructor or Highest Master

Seiko Shihan: (8th - 9th Dan) International Chief Instructor or Supreme Master Instructor

Hanshi: (Honorific) Exemplary Teacher or Model Expert

Soshu: (Honorific) International Chief Instructor 

Sosai:  (Honorific) President or Grandmaster

Chudan Soto Uke: Outside to inside block

Chudan Uchi Uke: Inside to outside block

Chudan Uchi Uke – Gedan Barai: Middle inside to out block - lower parry

Gedan Barai: Lower parry

Jodan Uke: Overhead block

Juji Uke: X-block

Mawash Uke: Roundhouse block

Moroto Naka Uke: Two hand block from inside

Furi-Uchi: Hook strike

Heito: Inner knife hand

Hiji Or Empi: Elbow

Hiji-Age: Rising elbow strike

Hiji-Te: Crossing elbow strike

Koken: Chicken beak hand

Nakayubi Ipponken: Middle finger (one-knuckle fist)

Nukite: Spear hand

Seiken: Fore-fist

Seiken Ago-Uchi: Fore-fist strike to chin

Seiken Tsuki: Fore-fist thrust

Shotei: Palm heal

Tateken: Vertical punch

Tettsui: Iron hammer fist

Tsuki: Thrust

Gyaku-Tsuki: Reverse punch

Jun-Tsuki: Side (corresponding) punch

Oi-Tsuki: Lunge punch

Sanbon Tsuki: Three strikes

Stou-Tsuki: Uppercut

Uraken: Back-fist

Uraken Ganmen (Shommen) Uchi: Back-fist to face

Uraken Hizo Uchi: Left/right back-fist to kidney

Uraken Mawashi Uchi: Back-fist roundhouse strike

Uraken Sayu (Ganmen) Uchi: Left/right back-fist strike to face

Shuto Ganmen Uchi: Knifehand strike to temple

Shuto Hizo Uchi: Knifehand strike to kidney

Shuto Sakotsu Uchi: Collarbone knifehand strike

Shuto Sakotsu Uchi Komi: Straight knife-hand strike to collarbone

Shuto Uchi Uch: Inside outside knifehand strike

Ashi: Foot or leg

Geri: Snap

Hiza Geri: Knee kick

Hiza Mawashi Geri: Roundhouse knee kick

Kakato Geri: Heel kick

Keage: Straight up

Kin Geri: Groin kick

Mae Geri: Front snap kick

Mae Keage: Straight up front kick

Mawashi Geri: Roundhouse kick

Soto Mawashi Geri: Outside to in crescent kick

Tobi Geri: Jump kick

Yoko: Side

Gedan Yoko Geri, Kansetsu Geri: Lower side kick to the knee

Yoko Geri: Side snap kick

Yoko Keage: Straight up side kick

Uchi Mawashi Geri: Inside to out crescent kick

Ushiro Geri: Back kick

Ushiro Mawashi Geri: Back spin kick

Age: Rising

Chudan: Middle

Fumiashi: Step in

Gedan: Lower

Han: Half

Hajime: Begin

Hidari-Ashimae: Left foot front

Jodan: Upper

Kamaete: Starting position

Kosa: Switch

Mae: Front

Migi-Ashimae: Right foot front

Mawate: Turn

Okiruashi: Skip in

Soto: Outside to inside

Uchi: Inside to outside

Yame: Stop

Yasume: Final position

Yoko: Side

Yoi: Ready

Dan Tien or Tan Den: Chi point located below the belly

Hari: Chi point located at diaphragm (“silent communicator”)

Kia: Explosive shout

Kia-Irete: Kia with explosive energy and purpose

Tento: Chi point at top of head

Bu: War

Budo: “Way of war” – The martial way

Bushi: “One who does war” – Warrior

Bushido: “The way of the warrior”

Do: “The way”

Kime: Deliver each technique with crisp sharp movement

Mi Kiri: Miss an attack by the width of a sheet of paper

Mushin: “No mind”

i: Intent, resonance of mind, seen in the commitment to follow through, attitude, determination and presence

Seishin: Mind, body, spirit

Yoyuu: “Critical Margin” – Technical control over self thought

Zenshin: Patriotic spirit, firm unshaking attitude