TACHI (1)

A Japanese Long Sword.

TACHI (2)

Standing or Stance. To stand up would be Tachiagaru. In some older works you may also see Zenkutsu Tachi etc. instead of Dachi.

TACHI HIZA GEDAN BARAI

Sword Kneeling Lower Level Sweep. A downward block performed from a half kneeling position as seen at the start of the Kata ENPI. The application is for drawing a Tachi which is a long sword and at the same time cutting through your opponents legs.

TACHI WAZA

Standing Techniques.

TAI

Body, as in Tai-Sabaki tai = body, sabaki = shifting or movement.

TAIKAKU

Build or Physique, body shape.

TAIKYOKYU

First Cause. The first kata taught in Shotokan Karate. It was first introduced into the K. U. G. B. in 1976 although there is evidence of it being used in Japan somewhere between 1935 and 1943. Three Taikyo Kyu kata were originally devised and all share a common line of movement. Master Funakoshi noted a beginning would take appropriately 40 seconds 2 complete and a higher grade some 5 seconds less. Taikyo Kyu 4 to 6 are French inventions. some say that Taikyoku Kata were originally from the Goju-Ryu and as the name implies, consist of nine kata. Tai/body, Kyo/teaching(s), Ku/nine. Funakoshi Sensei has been said to have made the statement that if a student understood the concepts of the Taikyoku Kata, then he should be able to understand the idea that you begin with basics and return to basics.

TAIMING GA OSOI

Not proper timing.

TAI SABAKI

Body Movement or Shifting or Evasion. In Japanese this can also be said as 'Tai o kawasu'.

TAIRA NA

Level or Even.

TAMESHIWARI

Breaking (of wood, tiles, etc. ). Trial By Wood.

TAMERAU

Hesitate. Do this and the chances are you will lose the fight.

TANDEN

Basically your centre of gravity, naval area.

TAOSHI

Down.

TATE

Vertical. To say it by itself would be 'Tate no'.

TATE EMPI UCHI

Vertical Elbow Strike. Sometimes also called AGE EMPI. Used in the kata nijushiho.

TATE KEN GYAKU TSUKI

Vertical Fist Reverse Punch. As used in the Kata Chinte.

TATE NUKITE

Vertical Spear Hand, or Vertical Piercing Hand.

TATE SHUTO OSAE

Vertical Knife Hand Press, used to push your attackers punching arm further round than in just a block and therefore turning his body further away from you. Its is used in the Kata Sochin.

TATE SHUTO UKE

Vertical Knife Hand Block.

TATE URAKEN UCHI

Vertical back-fist Strike.

TATE TSUKI

Vertical Fist Punch. A fist punch where the knuckles hit the target along a vertical plane.

TE

Hand.

TE GATANA

Hand Sword, this is now most commonly referred to as 'Shuto'.

TE GATANA UCHI

Hand Sword Strike, this is now most commonly referred to as 'Shuto Uchi'. 

TE GATANA UKE

Hand Sword Block, this is now most commonly referred to as 'Shuto Uke'.

TEIJI DACHI - T STANCE

A Stance with the feet in a 'T-shape. ' if called Migi Teiji Dachi then the right foot is forward, and if termed Hidari Teiji Dachi then the Left foot is forwards. 

TEISHO

Palm Heel. The area at the base of the palm. You can hit even the most solid targets with Teisho and not suffer any injury to your hand. If you go in to any inner-city hospital's emergency room on a Friday or Saturday night you will basically see two types of people. The first are ones with facial injuries and the second are ones with hand injuries caused when they were punching the first group of people causing their facial injuries. If only this second group of people used a palm heel strike instead of punching, hospital waiting times would be halved on a Friday and Saturday night.

TEISHO BARAI

Palm Heel Sweep. As seen in the Kata Unsu.

TEISHO AWASE UKE

Palm Heel Combined Block, but generally called Combined Palm Heel Block.

TEISHO UCHI

Palm Heel Strike.

TEISHO UKE

Palm Heel Block.

TEKKI

Horse Riding.

TEKKI SHODAN / NIDAN / SANDAN

A group of three Kata's each performed from Kiba Dachi or Horse Riding Stance.

TEKUBI-KAKE UKE

Wrist Hooking Block. Seen in the Kata Nijushiho.

TE-NAGASHI UKE

Hand Sweeping Block Nagashi actually translates as Flowing but in this we use it as sweeping.

TENCHI

Heaven and Earth. You may some times see 'Tenchi Uke' or 'Heaven and Earth Block' used in some terminology books. It is where you perform the same technique, one high and one low, Heaven and earth.

TENCHI HAITO UCHI

Heaven and Earth Ridge Hand Block. As seen in the Kata Nijushiho, in this case the right hand does a Jodan Haito Uchi whilst at the same time the left hand does a Gedan Ushiro Haito Uchi, one high, one low, Heaven and Earth.

TENCHI KENSEITAI

Heaven and Earth Feint. From the Kata Unsu.

TENDO

The crown of your head.

TEN NO KATA

A Kata created and designed under the leadership and guidance of Master Funakoshi. It is a Kata unique to the Shotokai.

TENSHIN

Changing Course. See Hineri Tenshin.

TENTO

The Fontanelle or the space between the crown of the head and the forehead.

TE-OSAE UKE

Hand Pressing Block. Seen in the Kata Heian Nidan.

TE SUIGETSU KAMAE

Hand Solarplexus Posture. This posture is used to remind you to guard the solarplexus.

TE TSUKAMI

Hand Grasp.

TETTSUI

Bottom Fist. You may also see this as Iron Hammer. Like Teisho this is another technique in which you can hit the most solid targets without the risk of causing injury to your hand.

TETTSUI UCHI

Bottom Fist Strike. Also called KENTSUI UCHI.

TETTSUI HASAMI UCHI

Bottom Fist Scissor Strike. As seen in the Kata Bassai Dai.

TE WAZA

Hand Techniques.

TOBI

Jump or Jumping.

TOBI ASHI BARAI

Jumping Foot Sweep. Used in the Kata Kanku Sho to clear the target area for the Tobi Ushiro geri.

TOBI GERI

Jumping Kick.

TOBIGOSHI

Jumping Over.

TOBIKOMIASHI

Jumping-in Leg.

TOBIKOMI TSUKI

Jumping Front Punch.

TOBI TETTSUI UCHI

Jumping Bottom Fist Strike. The normal target area would be the top of the head or the collar bone.

TOBI TSUKI

Jumping Punch.

TOBI USHIRO GERI

Jumping Back Kick. Used in the Kata Kanku Sho.

TO-DE

An old Okinawa name for what today is known as Karate, also see Okinawa-Te and To-Te.

TOKUI

Favourite. i. e. your Tokui Kata would be your favourite Kata.

TOMOE

Stomach.

TORA

Tiger. The animal that represents Shotokan Karate. There are three explanations as to why the tiger came to represent shotokan karate. The first is that Funakoshi chose it because the attributes seen in the animal are observable in the art. The second explanation is that mount Torao (tiger tail) near Shure on Okinawa, was a deep you the psyche it of Funakoshi. The third explanation refers to the Japanese expression "Tora no maki" which means "the official document encapsulating an art". This referred to the first book written about karate by Kosugi. As Tora also translates as tiger, the tiger was chosen.

TOSHI

Fighting Spirit.

TOTE

Tote was an Okinawan form of Karate, also see To-De and Okinawa-Te.

TSUGI ASHI

Following Foot, a method of moving where one foot follows the other, but never passes it. This move is seen carried out to the side in the Kata Jitte which would therefore be Yoko Tsugi Ashi.

TSUKAMI UKE

Grasping Block.

TSUKAMI WAZA

Grasping technique. A blocking technique by seizing the opponent's arm, leg or weapon.

TSUKAMI YOSE

Grasping and Pulling.

TSUKI

A Thrust or Punch.

TSUKI AGE

Punch Rising, what we would term an upper-cut punch as the punch before the jump in Heian Godan, or it can be used to describe the last swinging punch in the Kata Heian Sandan.

TSUKI UKE

Punching Block. A Karate block that that simultaneously becomes a punch. Usually to the opponents face.

TSUKKOMI

Charging.

TSUMASAKI

Tips of the Toes.

TSUMASAKI GERI

Kicking using the tips of the toes to strike with. Should only be used to attack the soft parts of the opponents body e. g. groin.

TSUME

Nail, of the fingers or toes. Used to effect in the kata Bassai Sho, to cut across the opponents eyeballs.

TSURU

Crane, as in the bird.

TSURU ASHI DACHI

Crane Leg Stance. A one leg stance where the instep of the raised leg is held against the rear of the knee of the supporting leg.

TSUYOI

Strong / Powerful.

TUITE

Grappling skills.