Japanese in Karate 11 "Fudou-dachi" "Sanchin-dachi"

(11)ללמוד מילים ביפנית שמשתמשים באימון קראטה

I’ll try to explain all the Japanese words being used in Kihon (basic training) but there are so many words and I wonder how to start...  I’ll pick up the words according to the training I was used to in Japan and at the end of the series, I will list all the words by techniques.

I guess it ’s not the same order as your training (in Japan it’s the same almost everywhere though) and there might be some words which have different meanings in different style karate.

Please remember that I am going to explain about the Japanese words and not about the techniques or the training itself.

First of all, please remember these words. (in Japanese, single and plural words are the same)

hand/hands = TE  טה    手  　          leg/legs/foot/feet = ASHI  אשי    足

front, forward = MAE   מאה    前          back  (אחורה)= USHIRO　אושילו  後

right (ימין) = MIGI  מיגי   右                   left (שמאל) = HIDARI　הידאלי  左

(extra Japanese knowledge)

right hand = Migite, left hand = Hidarite, right leg = Migiashi, left leg = Hidariashi

front leg = Maeashi, back leg = Ushiroashi

Now, “kihon” starts from “Fudou-dachi” stance.

‘Stance’ (עמידה) is called “tachi” (“tachi” and “dachi” are the same word. When “tachi” comes after another noun, it changes to “dachi”)

“Fudou” means ‘not move/immobile’. So “fudou-dachi” is the firm stand and you shouldn't move. Sensei says “Fudou-dachi!” when he wants to start something and he doesn't want the students to move around or move the body at all.

Fudou-dachi

Then the first stance for practicing ‘tsuki’ (punches) is “sanchin-dachi”.

“Sanchin” in kanji (Chinese characters) means ‘three fights’. Someone explains on the internet (actually I also didn't know the real meaning)  that it’s because you prepare to fight in 3 directions - front(Mae), right(Migi), and left(Hidari). And the point of the stance is that you keep stability when you attack or block to the front and to the sides. For that you have to concentrate the power to both legs and feet. I remember Sensei always said "grab the floor with your feet" 

Sanchin-dachi

“Migi-sanchin-dachi”      the right foot forward

“Hidari-sanchin-dachi”   the left foot forward

Osu