Japanese in Karate 20 “Keri” (1)

 “Keri” is ‘kicking’ in Japanese but when you say the name of a certain kick, ‘keri’ changes to ‘… geri’ just for the convenience of pronunciation.

First, I explain some words for direction and parts of a foot.

mae =  ‘front’       yoko = ‘side’    ushiro =  ‘backward’        

Chu-soku / chuusoku : “chu” is ‘middle’ and “soku” is ‘foot’. “chusoku” is the part under the toes.  

Hai-soku : “hai” is ‘back’ like ‘back of the body’  and “soku” is ‘foot’.  Same “hai” as in “hai-to”.

     
Tei-soku : “tei” is ‘bottom’ and “soku” is ‘foot’. It’s the bottom of the foot.

Soku-to / sokutou : “soku” is ‘foot’ and “tou” is ‘sword’ 

kakato :  ‘heel’   

★   Mae ke age : “mae” is ‘front’, “ke” is from the word “keri” and “a-ge” is ‘to raise/lift something up’.  As “maekeage” means to kick your leg to the front and high above.

★   Hiza-geri : “Hiza” is ‘knee’.  It’s a knee kick.

★   Kin-geri : It means ‘kick to the groin’. A man’s groin is called “Kin-tama” in Japanese, which means ‘Golden balls’!  You kick with “hai-soku”. (please don't use the word "kin-tama" in public..)

★   Mae-geri  (Chudan mae-geri/ Jodan mae-geri) 
: ‘Front kick’ (to the middle level/ to the higher level). You kick with “chu-soku”.

★   Mawashi-geri : “mawashi” is to turn something around/make a circular movement. “mawashi-geri” is ‘round kick’.

mawashi-geri

Will be continued in the next blog