Some Japanese Terms

Karate Terms

    Karate - "empty hand" or "china hand" (homophones, so could mean either)
    Dojo - Place of training
    Karateka - Karate practitioner
    Gi - Karate uniform
    Obi - Belt
    Sensei - Teacher (used to refer to the head instructor of the dojo)
    Sempai - Senior (used to refer to other Karateka of high rank in the dojo)
    Seiza - the formal Japanese way of kneeling with your feet under your buttocks
    Mokoso - Meditate
    Mokoso yame - Stop meditating
    Shomani - Ancestors
    Rei - Bow
    Otagi ni rei - bow to others
    Yoi - ready (assume the natural stance)
    Hajime - begin
    Yame - stop
    Matte - wait
    Mawatte - turn around
    Kiai - battle shout

Karate Training

    Kihon - Basics
    Kata - Forms
    Kumite - Sparring

    Waza - Technique
    Bunkai - Deconstructing, analyzing, or "breaking down" the kata.  Also, a demonstration of such with two or more people.
    Dojo kun - moral precepts of the Dojo
    Kyu - rank of color belt levels
    Dan - rank of black belt levels

Karate Skills

    Kokyu - "breathing in and out".  proper breathing technique for karate
    Kime - power put into a strike at the moment of contact
    Zanshin - focus, being "in the zone"
    Mushin - calm, inner stillness, keeping your head
    Toshi - fighting spirit

Kihon Terminology

    Gedan - lower level (e.g. gedan barai)
    Chudan - mid-level (e.g. chudan oi-zuki)
    Jodan  - upper level (e.g. jodan age uke)

 Japanese Numbers

1. Ichi
2. Ni
3. San
4. Shi 
   
5. Go
6. Roku
7. Shichi
8. Hachi
9. Ku
10. Ju

To continue to 99 you put the numbers together in this pattern:

    2nd decimal + ju + 1st decimal

For example:

    niju-shi - twenty-four

    sanju-hachi - thirty-eight

Conversational Phrases

    Hai - yes
    I'e - no; Oh, it’s nothing
    Dozo - please
    Arigato - Thanks (informal)
    Domo arigato gozaimasu - Thank you very much.
    Do itashimashite - You’re welcome
    I'e, ii desu - No, thank you
    Gomennasai - Sorry! (really sorry)
    Sumimasen - I’m sorry (regular sorry)
    Chotto sumimasen - Excuse me (little bit sorry)

Body Parts

    Ashi - Foot and/or Leg
    Empi - Elbow
    Hiza - Knee
    Kakato - Heel
    Ken - Fist
    Koshi - Hips
    Soku - Foot
    Sune - Shin
    Te - Hand
    Ude - Forearm

Directions

    hidari - Left
    migi - Right
    chikai - Near
    massugu - Straight
    koko - Here
    soko - There
    mae ni - In front of
    ushiro ni - Behind
    no uchigawa de - Inside
    no sotogawa de - Outside