HA

Tooth.

HACHIJI DACHI

Open Leg Stance. The feet are positioned about one shoulder width apart and pointed outwards at 45 degrees. It actually translates to 'Figure Eight Stance' and the true full name for this stance should be 'Soto Hachiji Dachi', and when the feet are angled in at 45 degrees the name is 'Uchi Hachiji Dachi'.

HADA

Skin. also see Hifu.

HADASHI

Bare Feet.

HAGUKI

Gums.

HAI (1)

Yes.

HAI (2)

Lung.

HAIMEN

Back or Rear Side.

HAISHU

Backhand or Back of the hand. The 'back' part of the translation is on the 'HAI' which if said by itself would be HAIGO. (the 'go' is taken off when added to another Kanji).

HAISHU AGE UCHI

Back Hand Rising Strike. Used in the Kata Nijushiho.

HAISHU AWASE UKE

Backhand Combined Block, the opening block in the Kata Gankaku. Also seen in Bassai Sho.

HAISHU JUJI UKE

Backhand Cross Block.

HAISHU UCHI

Back Hand Strike. A strike with the back of the hand where the hand and fingers are straight.

HAISHU UKE

Back Hand Block. A block using the back of the hand.

HAISOKU

Instep of the foot. The area at the base of the shin bone and the top of the foot.

HAITO

Ridge Hand. Thumb extended across the palm touching the base of the little finger and striking with the area just below the base of the index finger to the first joint of the thumb. The temple is a good target for this technique.

HAITO KOSHI KAMAE

Ridge-hand Hip Posture. Used in the Kata Bassai Sho. The bottom hand is held as Seiken and the top hand is held in haito with the palm facing up.

HAITO SUKUI NAGE

Ridge-hand Scooping Throw. Used in the Kata Bassai Sho. Used to counter a front kick. As you scoop the leg you bring it up high, hopefully taking your attacker off balance and throwing him to the floor. In the Kata this move then finishes with a lower level bottom fist strike.

HAITO UCHI

Ridge-hand Strike.

HAITO UKE

Ridge-hand Block.

HAI-WAN

Back Arm.

HAI-WAN NAGASHI UKE

Back Arm Sweeping Block. Nagashi actually means FLOWING as in Nagashi Tsuki, or Flowing Punch as seen in the Kata Sochin but in this translation we say Sweeping.

HAI-WAN UKE

Back Arm Block.

HAJIME

Begin. A command given to start a given drill, Kata, or Kumite. In strict Japanese this should really be Hajimeru, but we take off the 'ru'.

HAN

Half. When said by itself it would be Hansu.

HANA

Nose.

HANAJI

Nosebleed.

HANGETSU

A Black Belt level Kata. Meaning Half Moon. Sometimes this Kata is seen as Hungestsu.

HANGETSU DACHI

Half-Moon Stance. As above this is also seen spelt as Hungestsu. It is also known as Wide Hour Glass Stance.

HANMI

Side-on, half front facing position.

HANMI SASHI ASHI DACHI

Side-on or Half Front Facing Stepping Across Position, as seen in the Kata Hungestsu.

HAN ZENKUTSU DACHI

Half Front Stance, where the feet are only half the distance apart from the full stance. Also see Moto Dachi.

HARA

Abdomen, Belly, means the same as Tandan.

HARAI

Sweep or Sweeping. Normally seen as BARAI.

HARAI FUMIKOMI GERI

Sweeping Stamping Kick, as seen in the Kata Bassai Dai.

HARAI TE

Sweeping technique with the hand. Harai = Barai = Sweeping and Te = Hand.

HARAI WAZA

Sweeping techniques.

HARU

Spread.

HASAMI

Scissors.

HASAMI GERI

Scissor Kick.

HASAMI TSUKI

Scissor Punch.

HASAMI (UDE) UKE HIZA KAMAE

Scissor (Forearm) Block Knee Posture. As seen in the kata Nijushiho. Where both forearms perform a scissor block and at the same time the right knee raises attacking the groin.

HASAMI TETTSUI UCHI

Scissor Bottom Fist Strike. As seen in the kata Bassai Dai. Where both bottom fists perform a scissor strike in to the sides of your attackers body.

HAYAI

Quick, Fast or Rapid.

HAZUSHI

Pulling Away.

HAZUSHI TE

Pulling Away Hand, used to describe when you pull your hand away, after it has been grasped in the Kata Heian Shodan, prior to the Tettsui Uchi.

HEIAN

Peace or Tranquillity, or peaceful mind. These five kata were originally called Pinan. Funakoshi noted that each of the Heian kata should take about one minute to perform.

HEIKO DACHI

Parallel stance. A natural stance. Feet positioned about one shoulder width apart, with feet pointed straight forward.

HEIKO IPPON KEN

Parallel One Knuckle Fist, as seen in the Kata Hungestsu.

HEIKO TSUKI

Parallel Punch (A double, simultaneous punch).

HEIKO TATE TSUKI

Parallel Vertical Fist Punch, As seen in the Kata Gojushiho Dai.

HEIKO URA TSUKI

Parallel Close Punch. Used in the Kata Bassai Sho.

HEISHIN

Closed Heart. The last move in the kata Kanku Dai.

HEISOKU DACHI

An informal attention stance. Feet and toes are together and pointed straight forward. This stance used to be called 'Blocked Foot Stance'.

HENKA

Changing.

HENKA WAZA

Changing Techniques.

HICHU

The base of the throat, Adam's apple or projection of the thyroid cartilage of the larynx.

HIDARI

Left or Left Side. Sometimes also see spelt as Hadari.

HIDARI KAMAE

Left Posture. Used to describe when your left side is forward in a stance.

HIDARITE

Left Hand.

HIDARI JIGO TAI

Left defensive Posture, although TAI means body it translates better in this case as Posture.

HIDARI KAGI KAMAE

Left Hooking Stance/Posture, as seen in the Kata Hiean Godan.

HIDARI NANEME NI YOKERU KOTO

Left diagonal evasion.

HIFU

Skin. also see Hada.

HIHO

Secret Method.

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.

HIJI-ATE

elbow strike (also called EMPI-UCHI).

HIJI ATEMI or HIJI ATE

Elbow Strikes.

HIJI-SURI UKE

Elbow Sliding Block. Some find this a hard technique to master because of the timing, as the elbow comes up and blocks you then extend your arm so that it slides along and as it extends you strike your attacker but it has to be done in one fast fluid movement.

HIJI UKE

Elbow Block, a blocking action using the elbow.

HIJI WAZA

Elbow Techniques.

HIJIZUME

Elbow Joint.

HIKI

Retract or Pull Back. Also sometimes spelt as Hiku.

HIKI-ASHI

Retracting Leg, pulling your front leg back so that it is level with what was the rear leg. i. e. to avoid a sweep.

HIKIOROSHI

Lower. i. e. Dropping fist either side of knee seen in the kata Heian Yondan.

HIKI-TE

The retracting (pulling and twisting) arm during a technique. It gives the balance of power to the forward moving technique. It can also be used as a pulling technique after a grab, or a backward elbow strike.

HIKITE UKE

Pulling Hand Block.

HIKKAKU

Scratch, to wound with the nails. This is can be an application from the Kata Bassai Sho, where you bring your fingers back across your attackers eyes, slicing open his eyeballs.

HIKUME

Low.

HINERI

Twist. Sometimes this is also seen spelt as Hineru.

HINERI KAESHI

Twist Counter, As seen after each Lunge Punch in the Kata Kanku Sho.

HINERI TENSHIN

A move where you twist and change your course, for example when you twist your wrist out of the grip of your opponent and at the same time change your body course, Hineri = Twisting and Tenshin = Changing Course. It is seen in the Katas Heian Sandan and Kanku Dai.

HINERITE UKE

Twisting Hand Block.

HINERI YOKO EMPI UCHI

Twisting Lateral Elbow Strike.

HINERU

Twist. Sometimes this is also seen spelt as Hineri.

HIRA

Flat or Level.

HIRA HASAMI

Flat Scissors. Today this is normally called Koko or Tiger Mouth.

HIRAKEN

Flat Fist or Fore knuckle fist, as in a punch but with the knuckles extended. Some times referred to as Flat Fist or Level Fist. Also referred to as Hiraken Tsuki.

HIRA-KOTE

Level Forearm. Centre of the outer and inner forearms.

HIRA NUKITE

Level Spear Hand or Level Piercing Hand. This is when the palm is facing down.

HIRATE

Flat or Level Hand.

HIRATE DE UTSU

Slap, as in open handed strike.

HIRATE OSAE UKE

Fore Hand Pressing Block, or Flat Hand Pressing Block. Used in the Kata Kanku Sho.

HISHIRYO

Think without thinking; consciousness beyond thought.

HITAI

Brow/Forehead.

HITOSASHI IPPON KEN

Forefinger Knuckle Fist, more commonly seen as IPPON KEN, but also seen as Hitosashiyubi Ippon Ken.

HITOSASHIYUBI IPPON KEN

Fore Finger Fist. Today it is normally just called Ippon Ken, but may also be seen as Hitosashi Ippon Ken.

HIZA

Knee or Lap.

HIZAGASHIRA

Knee Cap.

HIZAGASHIRA GERI

Knee Cap Kick.

HIZA GERI

Knee Kick.

HIZAKANSETSU

Knee Joint.

HIZKEN GERI

Kneefist Kick. Another name for Hiza Geri.

HIZATSUI

Knee Hammer.

HIZA UKE

Knee Block, A blocking action using the knee.

HIZA WAZA

Knee Techniques.

HO

Step or Pace.

HOKO

Direction.

HOMBU DOJO

A term used to refer to the central dojo of an organisation.

HON

Basic or Fundamental.

HONE

Bone.

HOO

Cheek.

HORAN NO KAMAE

'Egg in the Nest Posture' or Ready Position used in some KATA where the fist in covered by the other hand. Another way of explaining this position is that Empty Hand (karate) over comes Angry Fist. (A non-karate person). It is also called Wrapped Fist. Also see JIAI NO KAMAE which I think is a better term for this position.

HUNGETSU

Half Moon. A black belt kata mainly performed from Hungetsu Dachi. This kata is sometimes seen spelt as Hangetsu and as 'Mangetsu' means 'Full Moon' and 'Han' means 'Half' the spelling 'Hangetsu' may be more correct.

HUNGETSU DACHI

Half Moon Stance. Also seen spelt as Hangetsu Dachi.

HYOSHI

Rhythm.