Pronunciation All vowels are short and pronounced as follows: - "a" as in "father"
- "i" as in "teen" except shorter
- "u" as in "boot" except shorter
- "e" as in "bet"
- "o" as in "boat" except shorter and without the off-glide
Longer vowel sounds are the same sounds as above, but given more time. - "aa," a longer "a"
- "ii," a longer "i"
- "uu," a longer "u"
- "ei," a longer "e"
- "oh," a longer "o"
Except for the above, if you see two or more vowels in a row, they are each pronounced clearly without becoming a single diphthong. An apostrophe is used where a glottal stop occurs (like between the "n" and the second "a" when pronouncing "an apple"). Consonants always take their "hard" sounds. So "gi" is pronounced with a hard "g" (i.e., not "ji"). "Ch" is always as in "cheese." The hyphens don't mean anything but serve to distinguish separate syllables when it might be ambiguous, or to separate a word into two semantic parts. There shouldn't be a pause for hyphens. Parentheses are used whenever a word might be omitted by some people, or if the translation could mean more than one thing. For example, "nukite," literally only means "spear hand," which is just the name of the "weapon" you form with your hand, but it is also often used to mean the attack, "spear-hand thrust." So "thrust" is in parentheses. Quotation marks are used on the English side to distinguish between literal translations of the Japanese terms from their more figurative meanings (quotes indicate literal translation). Numbers - 1
- ichi
- 2
- ni
- 3
- san
- 4
- shi
- 5
- go
- 6
- roku
- 7
- shichi
- 8
- hachi
- 9
- ku (kyu)
- 10
- ju
When counting for class, just pronounce the first syllable of bisyllabic numbers (i.e., ich, rok, shich, hach), for shorter, sharper counting. Levels of Attack - joh-dan -- "upper level" / face
- chuudan -- "middle level" / stomach / solar plexus
- gedan -- "lower level" / groin
Kata Translations are approximate transliterations of the Chinese characters used to "spell" the kata names. - kata -- form(s)
- heian shodan -- "stable and secure / stable peace, first level"
- heian nidan -- ditto, "second level"
- heian sandan -- ditto, "third level"
- heian yondan -- you get the idea
- heian godan
- tekki shodan -- "iron horseman," "first level"
- tekki nidan
- tekki sandan
- bassai dai -- "penetrate a fortress, greater (version)" (*)
- bassai sho [shoh] -- "penetrate a fortress, lesser (version)" (*)
- empi -- "flying swallow"
- jion -- "compassion and favor." This is a Buddhist term and possibly the name of some temple.
- kanku dai -- "observing the sky/emptiness, greater (version)" (*)
- kanku sho [shoh] -- "observing the sky/emptiness, lesser (version)" (*)
- jutte / jitte -- "ten hands"
- hangetsu -- "half moon"
- nijuushiho -- "twenty-four steps"
- gankaku -- "boulder crane" (the bird on a rock)
- sochin [soh-chin] -- "strength and control"
- unsu [unsuu] -- "cloud hands"
- gojuushiho (dai) -- "fifty-four steps, greater (version)" (*)
- gojuushiho sho [shoh] -- "fifty-four steps, lesser (version)" (*)
- meikyo [meikyoh] -- "bright mirror"
- ji'in -- "compassion and shadow." Possibly another temple.
- chinte -- "rare hands"
- wankan -- "king's crown"
(*) Kata with "lesser" or "greater" attached ("sho" or "dai") don't really mean "lesser" or "greater" in any sense. It's just a way of distinguishing two different kata. Kumite - kumite -- sparring
- (kihon) gohon kumite -- (basic) five-step sparring
- (kihon) sanbon kumite -- (basic) three-step sparring
- (kihon) ippon kumite -- (basic) one-step sparring
- jiyuu ippon kumite -- semi-free one-step sparring
- (jiyuu) kumite -- free sparring
Other Terms - kihon -- basic(s)
- ki-ai -- "spirit focus" / a focusing yell
- kime -- "decision" / focus
- rei -- bow
- yoh-i -- "get ready" / often a command to stand in hachinoji-dachi
- yame -- stop
- yasume -- rest, relax
- mawatte -- turn
- hajime -- begin
- mokuso -- "quiet meditation"
- dojo [doh-joh] -- "way place," the place where you train
- dojo kun -- dojo rules
- seiza -- "proper sitting" / kneeling
- sempai -- senior student
- koh-hai -- junior student
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