Glossary
• Introduction
• Japanese Pronounciation
• General Terms
• Counting in Japanese
Introduction
The Glossary contains the most common Japanese words and phrases that you will hear during training at our Shotokan Dojo. New karateka at our club who are just starting to learn the art of Karate, may find the Japanese terminology quite daunting. However, you will be taught Shotokan Karate in a well structured 'step by step' fashion, enabling steady familiarisation with the required Japanese.
Japanese Pronounciation
In Japanese there are five vowels – a e i o u – and they are always pronounced the same way (except that i and u are sometimes silent). They don’t vary depending on the position in a word, or on accent. They are pronounced:
a as in father (ah)
e as in bed or bear (eh)
i as in machine. (ee) (ki sounds like English ‘key’)
o as in awe or lord (aw)
u as in rule (oo)
Any vowel can combine with another: so ie, au, ai, oe etc. These should be spoken with each part distinct, as two syllables (don’t turn ie into iye).
The only time a vowel sounds different is when an i or u is between two “voiceless consonants” (p t k s h). Then, the vowel becomes effectively silent. So kisa is pronounced roughly as khsa, and Yasukuni is almost Yasskuni. This also happens at the ends of the grammatical endings -desu and -masu. Effectively the u is silent.
The vowel rules such as ‘magic e’ in English are actually quite odd – it’s simpler in Japanese. So the Japanese “age” (age uke: rising block) doesn’t sound like the Englsh “age” (’years old’, ay-j): instead it’s just what you see: a-g-e.
“g” is always ‘hard’ g, as in gum, not soft like in gem.
Further language reference can be found at Japanese Pronounciation
Top of Page
General Terms
| Japanese | English Meaning |
| Oss | Literally, the willpower that should push you towards your aim even if this means suffering |
| Seiza | Formal Kneeling Position |
| Mokso | Close your eyes and meditate |
| Kai Moku | Open your eyes |
| Kirizu | Stand up |
| Shome ni Rei | Bow to Flag |
| Sensei ni Rei | Bow to Sensei |
| Otagai ni Rei | Bow to each other |
| Karateka | Student of Karate |
| Gi | Uniform |
| Obi | White, Red, Yellow, Orange, Green, Purple(1&2), Brown(1, 2 & 3) and Black Belt |
| Kihon | Basic techniques |
| Kata | A pre-arranged sequence of techniques against imaginary opponents |
| Kumite | The practical application of techniques learned against an opponent/partner |
| Rei | Bow |
| Hajime | Begin |
| Yoi | Ready |
Counting in Japanese
| Japanese | Approx. English Sound | English |
| Ichi | (eechy) | One |
| Ni | (nee) | Two |
| San | (san) | Three |
| Shi | (shee) | Four |
| Go | (go) | Five |
| Roku | (roke) | Six |
| Shichi | (shee-chee) | Seven |
| Hachi | (ha-chee) | Eight |
| Kyu | (kyoo) | Nine |
| Ju | (joo) | Ten |
| Ju Ichi | (joo-eechy) | Eleven |
| Ni Ju | (nee-joo) | Twenty |