These are the commands which are frequently used during trainings. Heard them but always wonder what they mean?
Dojo : school, place where we train Karate
Shomen ni (sho-men nee) : facing front of dojo
Rei (ray) : bow with respect
Shomen ni rei : facing front of dojo and bow
Shihan ni rei : facing Shihan and bow
Sensei ni rei : facing Sensei and bow
Seiza (say-zah) : kneeling position
Mokuso (moh-kso) : deep breathing meditation
Yame (yah-may) : stop
Yoi (yo-ee) : get ready
Kiai (key-eye) : loud shout with Karate spirit and energy
Kihon (key-horn) : fundamentals
Kokyu (cok-kyu) : deep breathing
Matte (mah-tay) : wait
Hajime (hah-jee-may) : begin
Yame (yah-may) : stop
Yasume (yah-soo-may) : relax
Mawatte (mah-wah-tay) : turn around
Directions
Migi (mee-gee) : right
Hidari (he-da-ree) : left
Chudan (choo-done) : middle
Jodan (joe-done) : high / upper
Gedan (gay-done) : low / downwards
Punching Techniques
Seiken (say-can) : forefist
Zuki (zoo-key) : punch
Seiken Chudan Zuki : middle punch (middle of chest level)
Seiken Jodan Zuki : upper punch (eyebrow level)
Seiken Gedan Zuki : low punch (lower abdomen level)
Striking Techniques
Uchi (woo-chee) : strike
Ago Uchi (ah-go woo-chee) : chin strike (hands up to the sides of the chin before striking forward)
Mawashi Uchi (ma-wah-shee woo-chee) : roundhouse punch
Tettsui Uchi (take-zuee woo-chee) : hammer-fist strike
Uraken shomen uchi (woo-rah-can sho-men woo-chee) : backfist strike to front
Uraken sayu (sa-yo) uchi : backfist strike to side
Uraken hizo (he-zo) uchi : backfist strike to spleen (ribs)
Uraken shita (shi-ta) uchi : rip to the pit of stomach
Hiji (he-jee) : Elbow
Jodan hiji : elbow to head
Chudan hiji : elbow to middle section
Hiji age (ah-gay) uchi : rising elbow strike
Shuto (shoo-toe) : knife hand
Shuto ganmen (gun-men) uchi : knife hand strike to head
Shuto sakotsu (sa-co-sue) uchi : knife hand strike to the collar bone (downwards from top to opponent’s collar bone, not to be confused with shuto uchi uchi)
Shuto uchi uchi : inside knife hand to the neck (45deg strike to opponent’s neck)
Shuto uchi komi (cool-mee) : driving knife hand to collar bone (straight strike)
Shuto hizo (he-zo0) : knife hand strike to spleen
Uke (woo-kay) : block
Jodan uke : upper block
Chudan uchi uke : middle inside block
Chudan soto uke: middle outside block
Gedan barai (bar-rai) : low block
Uchi uke gedan barai : inside block and low block
Keri / Geri (gary) : kick
Mawashi (ma-wah-shee) geri : roundhouse kick
Uchi mawashi geri : inside crescent kick
Soto mawashi geri : outside crescent kick
Hiza (he-za) geri : knee kick
Kin geri : groin kick
Mae (my) geri : rising front kick
Yoko (yo-cool) geri : side kick
Ushiro (woo-she-roll) mawashi geri : back roundhouse kick
Ushiro geri : back kick
Dachi (dan-chee): stance
sanchin dachi : hour-glass stance
kumite dachi : fight stance
heiko dachi : ready stance
kiba dachi : horse stance
yo ju go kiba dachi : 45 degree horse stance
zenkutsu dachi (zen stance) : forward leaning stance
nekoashi dachi : cat stance
kokutsu dachi : back stance
heisoku dachi : feet together stance
kake dachi : hook stance
shiko dachi : open leg / sumo stance
Counting
ichi: one
ni: two
san: three
chi: four
go: five
roku: six
shichi: seven
hachi: eight
ku: nine
ju: ten
ni-ju: twenty
san-jiu: thirty
hyaku: one hundred
