15
Basic Kata of Shotokan Karate |
Name
of Kata |
Meaning
of Name |
Moves |
Main
Points to be Learned |
Heian
Shodan |
Peaceful
Mind |
21 |
Front
stance, back stance, stepping patterns, lunge punch |
Heian
Nidan |
Peaceful
Mind |
26 |
Front
kick, side kick while changing directions |
Heian
Sandan |
Peaceful
Mind |
20 |
Body
connections in forearm blocking, back-fist strike |
Heian
Yondan |
Peaceful
Mind |
27 |
Balance
and variation in techniques |
Heian
Godan |
Peaceful
Mind |
23 |
Balance
and jumping |
Tekki
Shodan |
Horse
Riding |
29 |
Straddle-leg
stance, hip vibration |
Tekki
Nidan |
Horse
Riding |
24 |
Grasping
and hooking blocks |
Tekki
Sandan |
Horse
Riding |
36 |
Continuous
middle-level blocking |
Bassai-Dai |
To
Penetrate a Fortress |
42 |
Changing
disadvantage into advantage by use of switching blocks
and differing degrees of power |
Kanku-Dai |
Looking
at Sky |
65 |
Variation
in fast and slow techniques, jumping |
Jion |
Temple
of Jion |
47 |
Turning,
shifting, variations in stepping patterns |
Jutte |
Ten
Hands |
24 |
Powerful
hip action, use of the staff |
Empi |
Flying
Swallow |
37 |
Fast
slow movements, high and low body positions, reversal
of body positions |
Hangetsu |
Crescent
or Half Moon |
41 |
Inside
tension stance; coordination of breathing with stepping,
blocking and punching, circular arm and leg movement |
Gankaku |
Crane
on a Rock |
42 |
Balancing
on one leg, side kick, back fist strike |
Other,
more advanced kata, which are frequently practiced are
Sochin (Immovable), Chinte(Small Hands), Nijushiho(24
directions), Bassai-Sho(The Lesser Bassai), Kanku-Sho(The
Lesser Kanku), Gojushiho-Dai(The Greater 54 Directions),
Gojushiho-Sho(The Lesser 54 Directions) and Unsu(Hands
in the Clouds). |
Parts
of the Body |
Ago |
Jaw
or chin |
Akiresu-Ken |
Achilles
tendon |
Ashi |
Foot
or leg |
Ashikubi |
Ankle |
Ashi
Ura |
Sole
of foot |
Ashi
Yubi |
Toes |
Ashizoko |
Bottom
foot. You use this to sweep your opponents foot during
ashi barai |
Do |
Torso
or trunk of body |
Dokko |
The
mastoids |
Empi |
Elbow
(also called hiji) |
Fukuto |
The
outside of the lower part of the thigh |
Fushi |
Joint,
knuckle |
Gai
Wan |
Outer
arm |
Gan |
Eye.
You may also see this as gansei |
| Ganmen |
Head
and face area |
| Ha |
Tooth |
| Hada |
Skin |
| Haguki |
Gums |
| Hai |
Lung |
| Haibu |
The
back area used as the target area in karate |
| Haimen |
Back
or rear side |
| Haisoku |
Instep
of the foot. The area at the base of the shin bone and the
top of the foot |
| Hai-Wan |
Back
arm |
| Hana |
Nose |
| Hara |
Abdomen,
means the same as tandan |
| Hidari |
Left
(left side) |
| Hifu |
Skin |
| Hiji |
Elbow,
also known as empi. Hiji is the older version. Empi is now
the most commonly used. You may also see it spelt as enpi |
| Hijikansetsu |
Elbow
joint |
| Hira-Kote |
Level
forearm. Centre of the outer and inner forearms |
| Hitai |
Brow/forehead |
| Hitosashi |
Forefinger
knuckle |
| Hiza |
Knee
or lap |
| Hizagashira |
Knee
cap |
| Hizakansetsu |
Knee
joint |
| Jinzo |
Kidney |
| Kafukubu |
Abdomen |
| Kahanshin |
Lower
half of the body |
| Kakato |
Heel
(of the foot) |
| Kami |
Hair.
Kami dori/tsukami is hair grab, from the kata empi. Also
see ke |
| Kansetsu |
Joint |
| Kanzo |
Liver.
(may also sometimes see it as kimo) |
| Karada |
Body,
physique |
| Kasumi |
Temple
on the side of the head. Also see komikami |
| Kata |
Shoulder |
| Ke |
Hair |
| Keibu |
Neck
area. Used as a target in sports karate |
| Keichu |
Nape
of the neck |
| Ketto |
Blood |
| Kinniku |
Muscles |
| Kinteki |
Testicles |
| Koken |
Wrist
joint, or bent wrist. It translates as 'arc fist' |
| Komekami |
The
temple area of the head. Also see kasumi |
| Koshi |
The
ball of the foot, or the hip/waist |
| Kote
(1) |
Wrist,
another translation for wrist. Te is on the end to signify
that it is of the hand. Ko means arc |
| Kote
(2) |
Back
hand |
| Kote
(3) |
Forearm.
In some cases you will see kote as forearm as in 'omote-kote'
or 'outer forearm' |
| Kubi |
Neck |
| Kuchi |
Mouth |
| Kusagakure |
The
outside edge of the top of the foot |
| Kyobu |
Chest
area |
| Mata |
Top
of the thigh |
| Matsukaze |
The
side of the neck |
| Me |
Eye |
| Men |
Face |
| Migi |
Right
(right side) |
| Mikazuki |
The
lower ridge of the lower jaw, the mandible base |
| Mimi |
Ear
or ears |
| Momo |
Thigh |
| Mune |
Chest |
| Myaku |
Pulse |
| Myojo |
Area
about one inch below the navel |
| Nai
Wan |
Inner
arm |
| Nodo |
Throat |
| Omote-Kote |
Front
forearm or inner forearm. The thumb edge side that when
standing naturally faces to the front |
| Oyayubi |
Thumb
or big toe |
| Rokkotsu |
Rib |
| Sakotsu |
Collar
bone |
| Sebone |
Backbone,
spine |
| Senaka |
The
back |
| Seoi |
Shoulder.
In karate we use 'kata' to say shoulder but you may see
seoi nage for shoulder throw |
| Shin |
Heart |
| Shintai |
Body,
another expression for body |
| Shinzo |
Heart |
| Shiri |
Buttocks |
| Shita |
Tongue |
| Sho |
Palm,
as in hand |
| Shofu |
Side
of neck |
| Shuwan |
Palm
side of forearm. This is also seen as showan |
| Soda |
The
area between the shoulder blades |
| Sokko |
Top
of the foot |
| Sokutei |
Sole
of foot |
| Sokuto |
Edge
of foot. The striking area in a side thrust kick |
| Suigetsu |
Solar-plexus |
| Sune |
Shin |
| Tai |
Body,
as in tai-sabaki tai = body, sabaki = shifting or movement |
| Taikaku |
Build
or physique |
| Tanden |
Basically
your centre of gravity, naval area. Also see hara |
| Te |
Hand |
| Tendo |
The
crown of your head |
| Tento |
The
fontanelle or the space between the crown of the head and
the forehead |
| Tomoe |
Stomach |
| Tsumasaki |
Tips
of the toes |
| Tsume |
Nail,
of the fingers or toes. Used to effect in the kata bassai
sho, to cut across the opponents eyeballs |
| Ude |
Forearm |
| Udekansetsu |
Arm
joint |
| Ura-Kote |
Reverse
or rear forearm. The little finger side |
| Ushiro |
Back
or rear |
| Uto |
The
point at the base of the nose between the eyes |
| Wakibara |
Side
of the chest |
| Wan |
Arm |
| Wanshun |
Top
of outside edge of upper arm |
| Yako |
The
inside of the upper thigh |
| Yobo |
Face |
| Yoko |
Side
or lateral |
| Yubi |
Finger |
| Yubi
No Kansetsu |
Knuckle |
| Yubisaki |
Fingertip |
| Zenshin |
Whole
(entire) body |
| Zenwan |
Forearm |
| Zuno |
Head
or brains |
