As Shotokan karate-do is a Japanese martial art it is important for all students and practitioners to understand the terms and basic words used. Many techniques and expressions can have more than one name or word to describe them which can be confusing but in the Japanese language there are often different ways to express the same word.
| Numbers | General Terms | Parts of the Body |
| Commands | Directions | Kata Names |
| Kumite Terminology | Punches | Strikes |
| Kicks | Blocks | Stances |
Numbers 1-20
- Ichi
- Ni
- San
- Shi
- Go
- Roku
- Shichi
- Hachi
- Ku
- Jyu
- Jyu Ichi
- Jyu Ni
- Jyu San
- Jyu Shi
- Jyu Go
- Jyu Roku
- Jyu Shichi
- Jyu Hachi
- Jyu Ku
- Nijyu
General
- Budo - Way of combat
- Bunkai - Application (interpretation) of kata techniques
- Dan - Level
- Do - Way
- Dojo - "School, training room or hall"
- Embusen - Floor pattern/lines of a kata
- Gi - Uniform
- Gohon Kumite - Five-step sparring
- Hai - Yes
- Ippon Kumite - One-step sparring
- Jiyyu Ippon Kumite - Semi-free one-step sparring
- Jiyyu Kumite - Free sparring
- Karate - Empty Hand
- Karate Do - The Way of Karate (Empty Hand)
- Karateka - Practitioner of Karate
- Kiai - Spirit shout/focus of spiritual energy
- Kihon - Fundamentals
- Kime - Focus
- Kohai - Junior student
- Kyu - Rank
- Maai - Distance
- Mokuso - Meditate
- Naote - Relax
- Obi - Belt
- Osu - I understand and will try my best and used to show respect and enthusiasm
- Sambon Kumite - Three-step sparring
- Sempai - Senior student
- Sensei - Teacher
- Shiha - Master
- Shotokan - 'House of Shoto' ; pen name of Funakoshi
Parts of the Body
- Ashi - Leg
- Ashikubi - Ankle
- Atama - Head
- Chudan - Mid-level
- Empi (Also Hiji) - Elbow
- Ensho - Back of the heel
- Gedan - Lower level (groin)
- Heisoku - Top (instep) of the foot
- Hiza (Also Hitsui) - Knee
- Ippon Ken - Single-point index-finger Fist
- Jiku Ashi - Pivot leg
- Jodan - Head level
- Kaishu - Open hand
- Kakato - Heel of the foot
- Kata - Shoulder
- Ken - Fist
- Koshi - Ball of the foot
- Naiwan - Back of Arm
- Sokuto - Outer edge (knife) of the foot
- Tate Ken - Vertical Fist
- Te - Hand
- Teisho - Palm heel
- Teisoku - Bottom of the foot
- Tekubi - Wrist
- Tsumasaki - Toe tips
- Ude - Forearm
- Wan - Arm
Commands
- Age-Te - Hands up (cover position)
- Hajime - Begin
- Mawatte - Turn around
- Naore - Return to Shizen-tai
- Narande - Line up
- Otaigai Ni - Face towards each other
- Rei - Bow
- Seiretsu - Line up by rank
- Seiza - Kneel
- Sensei Ni - Face towards the teacher
- Shomen Ni - Face towards the front
- Yame - Stop
- Yasume - Relax (or ready position)
- Yoi - Ready
Directions
- Age - Rising
- Gyaku - Reverse
- Hidari - Left
- Mae - Front
- Mawashi - Round
- Migi - Right
- Otoshi - Dropping
- Sokumen - Side
- Soto - Outer
- Tate - Vertical
- Tobi - Jump
- Uchi - Inner
- Ushiro - Back
- Yoko - Side
Kata Names
- Heian Shodan - First level
- Heian Nidan - Second level
- Heian Sandan - Third level
- Heian Yondan - Fourth level
- Heian Godan - Fifth level
- Tekki Shodan - First level
- Tekki Nidan - Second level
- Tekki Sandan - Third level
- Bassai Dai - Greater Version
- Bassai Sho - Lesser Version
- Chinte - Rare/Extraordinary Hands
- Empi - Flight of the Swallow
- Gankaku - Crane/bird on a rock
- Gojuushiho Dai - Fifty-four steps - greater (version)
- Gojuushiho Sho - Fifty-four steps - lesser (version)
- Hangetsu - Crescent or Half Moon
- Heian - Peaceful mind
- Jion - Bhuddist temple name; Compassion and Favour
- Ji'in - Bhuddist temple name; Compassion and Shadow
- Jitte - Ten HandsKanku Dai - Observe the sky/emptiness - greater version
- Kanku Sho - Observe the sky/emptiness - lesser versionMeikyo - Bright Mirror
- Nijushiho - Twenty-four stepsShorei Kata - Light and quick; emphasizing agility and speed
- Shorin Kata - Slow, hard, and strong; emphasizing strength
- Sochin - To keep the peace; Strength and Control
- Taikyoku - First CauseUnsu - Cloud Hands
Kumite Terminology
- (Aka/Shiro) No Kachi - (R/W) Victorious
- Aite - Opponent
- Ai-Uchi - Simultaneous scoring technique, no point awarded to either. Referee brings fists together in front of chest
- Aka - RedAtenai Yoni - Warning without penalty; referee raises 1 hand in fist with other hand covering it at chest level and shows it to offender
- Atoshi Baraku - An audible signal given by time keeper 30 seconds before actual end of bout
- Chui - Warning
- Encho-Sen - Extension; after a draw, the match goes into overtime
- Fukushin Shugo - Judges conference
- Fusen-Gachi - Victory by default
- Hansoku - Foul - imposed following serious infraction, opponents score is raised to sanbon
- Hansoku Chui - Warning with an ippon penalty, ippon added to opponents score
- Hansoku-Make - Lose by disqualification
- Hantei - Judges' decision. Rendered by judges' flag signal after referee blows his whistle
- Hantei Kachi - Winner by decision
- Hikiwake - Draw: referee crosses arms over chest, then uncrosses and holds arms out from the body with the palms showing upwards
- Ippon - Full point
- Ippon Shobu - One point match; used in tournaments
- Jikan - TimeJogai - Out of Bounds; Referee points with index finger at a 45° angle to the area boundary on the side of the offender
- Jogai Keikoku - Exit from fighting area. Waza-ari penalty given to opponent
- Keikoku - Severe warning; Waza-ari penalty imposed for a warning previously given; referee points index finger to feet of offender
- Mienai - A call by a judge to indicate that a technique was not visible from his/her angle
- Mumobi - Warning for lack of regard for one's own safety. Referee points 1 index finger in the air at a 60° angle on side of offender
- Mumobi Keikoku - Warning with waza-ari penalty
- Sanbon Shobu - Three point Match
- Sanbon Shobu Hajime - Start the Match
- Shiai-Jo - Ring (size = 8-10 meters square)
- Shido - Light warning
- Shikkaku - Disqualification; opponents score raised to sanbon
- Shiro - White
- Shobu Hajime - Start the Match
- Shugo - Judges called. Referee beckons with arms to the judges
- Toranai - No point
- Tsuzukete Hajime - Resume fighting. Referee steps back into zenkutsu dachi and brings palms of hands toward each other
- Uchi-Majiri - Brawl (melee)
- Wazari - Half point
Punches
- Age Tsuki - Rising punch
- Awase Tsuki - 'U' punch
- Choku Tsuki - Straight punch
- Gyaku Tsuki - Reverse punch
- Ippon Ken Tsuki - One-knuckle fist punch (Hangetsu)
- Kagi Tsuki - Hook punch
- Kizami Tsuki - Jab
- Mawashi Tsuki - Round house punch
- Morote Shita Tsuki - Augmented upper inverted punch
- Morote Tsuki - Parallel punch
- Ni Jodan Shita Tsuki - Double inverted upper punch
- Ni Yoko Chudan Tsuki - Double middle side punch
- Oi Tsuki - Lunge punch
- Oi Tsuki Maeude Hine - Lunge punch with turning forearm
- Oi-Gyaku Tsuki - Lunging reverse punch
- Otoshi Tsuki - Dropping punch (Empi)
- Ren Tsuki - Double punch
- San Tsuki - Triple punch
- Shita Tsuki - Inverted punch
- Ura Tsuki - Close punch
- Yama Tsuki - Wide 'U' (Mountain) punch
- Yoko Tsuki - Side punch
Strikes
- Age Nihon Nukite Zuk - Two finger spear hand strike
- Empi Uchi - Elbow Strike
- Gyaku Haito Uchi - Reverse Backfist Strike
- Haishu Uchi - Back Hand Strike
- Haito Uchi - Backfist Strike
- Hiraken Uchi - Foreknuckle Strike
- Hitosashiyubi Nukite - Index finger spear hand
- Hiza Age Ate - Rising Knee Strike
- Hiza Geri - Knee strike
- Ippon Ken - One knuckle strike
- Ippon Nukite Uchi - Single Finger Strike
- Koko Uchi - Tiger Mouth Strike
- Kumade Uchi - Bear Claw Strike
- Mae Empi Uchi - Front Elbow Strike
- Mawashi Empi Uchi - Round Elbow Strike
- Nakadaka Ippon Ken - One knuckle strike
- Nihon Nukite Uchi - Two Finger Strike (Fork)
- Nukite Zuki - Spear hand strike
- Otoshi Empi Uchi - Downward Elbow Strike
- Shihon Nukite Uchi - Spear Hand Strike
- Shuto Gedan Barai - Lower sword hand strike
- Shuto Uchi - Knife hand strike
- Shuto Zuki - Sword hand strike
- Soto Shuto Uchi - Outside Knife Hand Strike
- Soto Uke - Forearm strike
- Tate Empi Uchi - Upward Elbow Strike
- Tate Mawashi Uchi - Vertical roundhouse strike
- Teisho Uchi - Palm Heel Strike
- Tetsui Zuki - Hammer fist strike
- Uchi Shuto Uchi - Inside Knife Hand Strike
- Uraken Uchi - Backfist Strike
- Ushiro Empi Uchi - Back Elbow Strike
- Washide Uchi - Eagle Beak Strike
- Yoko Empi Uchi - Side Elbow Strike
- Yoko Mawashi Empi Uc - Side Roundhouse Elbow Strike
Kicks
- Ashi-Barai - Foot sweep
- Fumikomi Geri - Stomping kick
- Hiza Geri - Knee kick/strike
- Mae Geri - Front kick
- Mae Geri Keage - Front snap kick
- Mae Geri Kekomi - Front thrust kick
- Mawashi Geri - Round kick
- Mika Zuki Geri - Crescent kick
- Name Ashi Geri - Returning wave kick
- Ni Mae Geri - Double front kick
- Nidan Geri - Double kick
- Soto Mikazuki Geri - Outside crescent kick
- Tobi Geri - Flying (Jump) kick
- Uchi Mikazuki Geri - Inside crescent kick
- Ushiro Geri - Back thrust kick
- Yoko Geri Keage - Side snap kick
- Yoko Geri Kekomi - Side thrust kick
Blocks
- Age Uke - Rising block
- Awase Shuto Age Uke - Combined rising knife-hand block
- Empi Uke (Or Hiji Uk) - Elbow block
- Gassho Uke - Double palm heel block
- Gedan-Barai - Down block
- Haishu Uke - Back hand block
- Haiwan Nagashi Uke - Sweeping back-arm block
- Juji Uke - X block
- Kakiwaki Uke - Reverse wedge block
- Keito Uke - Chicken head block
- Kosa Uke - Cross block
- Manji Uke - Hi/low block
- Morote Uke - Augmented inside-outward block
- Nagashi Uke - Sweeping block
- Ni Jodan Uke - Double rising block
- Osae Uke - Pressing block
- Otoshi Uke - Dropping or falling block
- Ryowan Uchi Uke - Double inside block
- Seiryuto Uke - Ox-Jaw block
- Sho Koko Bo Uke - Tiger mouth block
- Shuto Juji Uke - Open hand X block
- Shuto Uke - Knife block
- Sokumen Awase Uke - Side combined block
- Soto Ude Uke - Outside forearm block
- Soto Uke - Inward middle block
- Sukui Uke - Scooping block
- Tate Shuto Uchi Uke - Vertical inside outward sword hand block
- Tate Shuto Uke - Vertical knife-hand block
- Te Nagashi Uke - Sweeping hand block (parry)
- Teisho Oshi Uke - Pressing palm heal block
- Teisho Yoko Uke - Side palm heel block
- Tetsui Zuki - Hammer fist
- Tsukami Uke - Grasping block
- Uchi Otoshi - Falling block
- Uchi Ude Uke - Inside forearm block
- Uchi Uke - Inside-outward block
- Yoko Uchi Barai - Side sweeping block
Stances
- Fudo Dachi - Fighting (Rooted) Stance
- Hachiji Dachi - Open-legged Stance (Yoi)
- Hangetsu Dachi - Wide Hour-glass Stance
- Heisoku Dachi - Formal Attention Stance (Yoi)
- Hidari Ashi Dachi - Left legged stance
- Hidari Ashi Orishiku - Left Leg Kneeling
- Kamae - Posture (Yoi)
- Kiba Dachi - Straddle (Horse) Stance
- Kokutsu Dachi - Back Stance
- Kosa Dachi - Cross-legged Stance
- Migi Ashi Orishiku - Right Leg Kneeling
- Musubi Dachi - Informal Attention Stance (feet in a 'V')
- Neko-Ashi Dachi - Cat Stance
- Renoji Dachi - L' Stance
- Shizen-Tai Dachi - Natural Stance
- Zenkutsu Dachi - Front Stance
