Karate Hand Techniques – Japanese Terms

“Te” means hand in Japanese, and Kara-Te is often reported to mean “empty hand”.
Zuki (often also spelled tsuki) means punch.Often the same technique is referred to by different names, for example,
for the elbow strike you may find the Japanese terms Empi Uchi, Hiji Uchi, or Hiji Ate that all usually mean the same thing!

HAND TECHNIQUES – TE WASA

Age zuki Rising punch
Awase zuki U punch
Boshiken zuki Thumb fist
Choku zuki Straight punch
Chudan zuki Middle level punch
Empi uchi Elbow strike
Furi zuki Circular punch
Gyaku zuki Reverse punch
Haishu Back hand
Haito uchi Sword ridge hand
Hasami zuki Scissors punch
Heiko zuki Parallel punch
Hiji uchi Elbow strike
Jodan zuki Upper level punch
Kagi zuki Hook punch
Kaiko ken zuki Crab shell fist, four knuckle strike
Kizami zuki Jab or leading punch
Kote uchi Forearm strike
Ko uchi Bent wrist strike
Kuma-de Bear hand
Mawashi zuki Round hook punch
Nagashi zuki Flowing punch
Nakadaka ippon ken zuki Middle finger knuckle punch
Nihon zuki Double punch
Nukite zuki Finger thrust
Oi zuki Lunge punch
Sanbon zuki Triple punch
Seiken zuki Fore fist strike
Shotei uchi Palm heel strike
Shotei zuki Palm heel thrust
Shuto uchi Knife hand strike (Karate Chop)
Tateken zuki Vertical fist punch
Tsuki (zuki) Punch or thrust
Tettsui uchi Hammer fist strike
Uchi Strike
Ura ken uchi Back fist strike
Ura zuki Short punch (palm up)
Yama zuki Mountain punch
Washi de Eagle hand