These are the required (kyu ranks) white-brown belt vocabulary. Technical requirements are listed here (kata & kihon)
| Japanese | Pronouce | Literal | Common use |
| WHITE BELT ↓ | |||
| shiro | shear-roe | white | white |
| chōchō | cho-cho | butterfly | butterfly |
| Dojo | doe-joe | Way Place | Karate school |
| Gi | gee | uniform | uniform |
| Hai | hi | yes | yes |
| Hebi | heb-bee | snake | snake |
| Kamaete | ka-may-e-tay | posture | low block ready |
| Karate | ka-raw-tay | empty hand | japanese self-defense |
| Kiai | key-eye | spirit shout | yell |
| Obi | oh-bee | sash | belt |
| Onaka | oh-na-ka | stomach | stomach |
| Otearai | oh-tay-rye | restroom | restroom |
| Rei | ray | respect | bow |
| Sensei | sen-say | one born before | teacher |
| Shizuka | she-zoo-ka | quiet | quiet |
| Te | tay | hand | hand |
| Tomodachi | toe-moe-da-chi | friend | friend |
| tora | tor-rah | tiger | tiger |
| YELLOW BELT ↓ | |||
| kiiro | key-ear-row | yellow | yellow |
| ashi | awe-she | foot/leg | foot/legs |
| domo | doe-moe | thanks | thanks |
| Heian | hey-on | peace | peace |
| Kata | kah-tah | form | imaginary fight |
| kiba dachi | key-bah-dach | horse stance | knees bent stance |
| koshi | koe-she | hips | hips |
| kubi | ku-bee | neck | neck |
| mizu | me-zoo | water | water |
| shiri | shear-ree | rear portion | butt |
| shodan | show-dawn | beginning level | 1st kata or Heain 1 |
| gyaku zuki | gya-koo zoo-key | reverse thrust | reverse punch |
| Yame | yah-may | quit | stop |
| Hajime | hah-jee-may | beginning | start |
| yoko | yoh-koh | side | sideways |
| mae | my-eh | front | front |
| yuka | you-ka | floor | floor |
| Tenjou | ten-joe | sky, heaven | ceiling |
| ORANGE BELT ↓ | |||
| orenji | or-ren-gee | orange | orange |
| atama | ah-tah-mah | head | head |
| Funakoshi | foo-na-koo-she | Funakoshi | Founder of shotokan (1868-1957) |
| hidari | hee-dah-ree | left | left |
| hikite | hee-key-tay | pull hand | reaction arm |
| hiza | hee-za | knee | knee |
| tora no me | tore-rah no-may | tiger’s eye | eye of the tiger |
| Kumite | kuw-me-tay | grappling hands | sparring |
| migi | mee-gee | right | right |
| shuto | shoe-tow | knife hand | open hand block |
| tatami | ta-tom-mee | fold, pile | mat |
| tetsui | tet-tue-eee | iron hammer | hammer fist |
| tobi | toe-bee | flying | jump |
| kihon | key-hon | fundamentals | basics |
| Tatsu | Tot-tsue | dragon | dragon |
| ken | ken | fist | fist |
| senpai | sen-pie | earlier colleague | senior student |
| kudasai | ku-da-sigh | please | please |
| BLUE BELT ↓ | |||
| ao(i) | owl | blue | blue |
| dachi/tachi | dah-chee | stand | stance |
| geri/keri | geh-ree | kick | kick |
| kokyu | koh-Q | breathing | breathing |
| konnichiwa | coe-knee-chi-wa | hello | hello (mid-day) |
| uraken | oo-ra-ken | backside fist | back fist |
| oi zuki | oy-zoo-key | chase, follow | stepping punch |
| sayanara | sigh-ya-nara | goodbye | good bye |
| shihan | she-hawn | expert/master | master (teacher of teachers) |
| Seiza | say-zah | kneel | Samurai position |
| Shotokan | show-toe-con | house of shoto (whistling pines) | name Funakoshi’s style |
| uke | eww-kay | receive | block |
| yoi | yoi and double yoi | preperation | get ready |
| nukite | new-key-tay | penetration hand | spear |
| yoko geri | yoh-ko gary | side kick | side kick |
| mae geri | my-ehh gary | front kick | front kick |
| ichi-ban | itchy-bon | #1 | first place |
| tatte | tot-tay | stand up | stand up |
| GREEN BELT ↓ | |||
| midori | me-door-re | green | green |
| age uke | ah-gay oo-kay | rising block | rising block |
| arigato gozimasu | air-re-got-toe go-zie-maus | thank thank you | thank you very much |
| ju-ichi – ni ju | jew itch – knee-jew | #11-#20 | counting 11-20 |
| do | doe | path | the way |
| hara | har-rah | belly | energy field in abdomen |
| kokotsu dachi | koe-koo-tsu dah-chee | back bend stance | back stance |
| enkei | N-key | round shape | cartwheel |
| mawashi geri | mah-wah-she gary | turn kick | roundhouse kick |
| mawatte | mah-wah-tay | spin or around | turn |
| mokuso | moh-koo-soh | silent thinking | focus / clear mind |
| musubi dachi | moo-sue-be dah-chee | knot | v-bow |
| nage | naw-gay | cast or throw | throw |
| Otagai | oh-ta-guy | mutual | face each other show respect |
| shomen | show-men | front of the head | front of the room |
| uchi | eww-chee | hit | strike |
| zenkutsu dachi | zen-koo-tsue | Front bend Stance | front stance |
| shizen tai | shih-zen-tie | natural stance | focus/ready position |
| PURPLE BELT ↓ | |||
| murasaki | mur-ra-sa-key | purple | purple |
| bu | boo | war/military | martial |
| bushido | boo-she-doe | warrior way (samurai) | way of the warrior |
| jodan | joe-dawn | upper level/degree/stage | high level |
| chudan | chew-dawn | middle | middle level |
| gedan | gay-dawn | lower column | lower level |
| ashi barai | ahh-she-ba-righ | tripping | sweep |
| go no sen | go-no-sen | after the prior | block and counter |
| sen no sen | sen-no-sne | prior to prior | timing (be faster) |
| sen sen no sen | sen-sen-no-sen | prior to prior to prior | take initiative |
| keage | kay-ah-gay | rising | snap [kick] |
| kekmoi | kay-ko-mee | riser | thrust [kick] |
| Ryu Kyu | rue-Q | chain of Okinawan islands | where karate grew up |
| tegumi | tay-goo-me | hands crossing/engaged | wrestling/grappling |
| ushiro geri | ewe-she-row | back kick | back kick |
| zanshin | zawn-shin | remaining mind | total awareness |
| mushin | moo-shin | no mind | no mind or fear |
| embusen | em-boo-sen | Military performance line | invisible line (spot kata begins) |
| BROWN BELT ↓ | |||
| chairo | cha-ear-row | brown | brown |
| budo | boo-doe | Martial way | martial way |
| bugei | boo-gay | Martial performance | martial arts (performance) |
| bujutsu | boo-jit-sue | Martial technique/method | martial arts (science) |
| ikken hissatsu | eek-en-he-sause-tsue | one fist certain death | kill with one blow |
| Itosu | ee-toe-sue | Funakoshi’s teacher | Shuri-te master |
| kanji | con-G | Han | logographic characters |
| kime | key-may | decision or commitment | focus/tense at right moment of move |
| kuzushi | ku-zoo-she | destroy or demolish | unbalance |
| oyo | oh-yo | apply (extracted kata techiques) | application of bunkai |
| pinan | pee-non | peaceful | Okinawan peace or safe |
| tokui | toe-kuWEE | pride or triumph (your best) | free kata |
| tai sabaki | tie-sa-ba-key | body movment | defensive movement |
| tamashii | tama-shee | soul | indomitable spirit (never say die) |
| waza | waa-zaa | skill | technique |
| bunkai | Boon-kai | analysis/disassembly | break it down |
| dan | dawn | level | degree |
| kyu | Q | step | under belt grade or level |
| BROWN BELT Dojo Kun↓ | Code of Ethics | ||
| Maxim #1 | Character | Seek perfection of Character | |
| Maxim #2 | Sincerity | Folow the way of sincerity | |
| Maxim #3 | Effort | Strengthen your spirt with resolution | |
| Maxim #4 | Etiquette | Abide by the rules of ethics | |
| Maxim #5 | Self-Control | Refrain from violence and cultivate self-control | |
| Jr. BLACK BELT ↓ | |||
| Maai | my-eye | interval | distance/space |
| Goshin | go-shin | protect/guard (go) yourself (shin) | self-defense |
| Yudansha | you-don-sha | have, possess rank person | blackbelt |
| Tode or To-te | toe-day or toe-tay | China Hand | Chinese + Okinawan martial arts |
| Osu | Oss | o (push) su (persevere) | catch-all: thanks, I understand, good luck |
| Naihanchi | nie-hawn-she | internal divided conflict | Okinawan name for Tekki |
| Keiko | kay-koe | practice/training/study | practice/training |
| Dai/Sho | die-show | Greater/Large (major) Lessor/small (minor) | Suffix: Kata (A) and kata (B) |
| Hanshi | hawn-she | Master | Okinawan name for master |
| Shorin | shore-in | small forrest | circular, fast okinawan karate |
| Shorei | shore-ray | style of inspiration (Shoreiji Temple) | strong and powerful okinawan karate |
| Tang | tang | hand in chinese | Chinese hand |
| Nippon (Nihon) | Knee-pon or Knee-hon | Nippon (Nihon) | Japan |
| Rei-Gi | Ray-gee | Etiquette | Manners |
| Ryu | ryu | school, system, flow | style |
| Kobudo | koe-boo-doe | old martial way of Okinawa | weapons |
| Shin (Kokoro) | heart, mind, soul | metatphysical heart | heart |
