Home   test   Vocab

Vocab

sensei says

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

norwinninjas

About the author: Bill Viola Jr. is Amazon best-selling author and creator of the award-winning Sensei Says® life skills curriculum. He experienced the "Golden Era" of MMA firsthand as his father, Bill Sr., is credited as the co-creator of the sport of mixed martial arts in 1979. His book Godfathers of MMA inspired the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME film Tough Guys where he acted as a producer alongside an Academy Award accredited team. The Viola family owns and operates Allegheny Shotokan Karate in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania now celebrating their 50-year anniversary (1969-2019). He is currently the President of Kumite Classic Entertainment Corp. bill@kumiteclassic.com • Connect LinkedIn #senseisays #sokepokey #martialwayist