karate

IPA/kəˈrɑːti/
KK[kɚˈɑti]IPA/kəˈrɑːti/

karate — noun

1. a martial art that began in Japan, where people strike, kick, and block without

1.nounB1
Definition

a martial art that began in Japan, where people strike, kick, and block without using weapons, and a person's skill level is shown by the colour of the belt they wear.

Example

Hana has been practising karate at a local dojo every Saturday since she was six.

collocation: practise karate (with duration)

The karate students bowed to their instructor before starting the warm-up exercises.

attributive use: karate students

Common collocations
  • practise karate
  • take up karate
  • learn karate
  • teach karate
  • black belt in karate
  • karate class
  • karate chop
  • karate uniform
  • karate belt
  • karate tournament
  • karate instructor
  • karate move

Grammar Patterns

practise / do / learn / teach + karate

belt / skill / class + in + karate

karate + noun (e.g. karate class, karate chop, karate belt)

Usage Note

Always uncountable — 'karate' cannot be used with 'a' or in the plural form. Common prepositional patterns: 'belt in karate', 'skills in karate', 'class in karate'. When used as a modifier, it describes types of moves, clothing, or facilities (karate uniform, karate match, karate studio). A person who practises karate is called a 'karate practitioner' or the Japanese loanword 'karateka'.

Common Mistakes

She earned a black belt of karate.
She earned a black belt in karate.
the correct preposition after 'belt' when referring to a martial art is 'in', not 'of'.
He knows several karates, such as Shotokan and Kyokushin.
He knows several styles of karate, such as Shotokan and Kyokushin.
'karate' is uncountable; use 'styles of karate' or 'karate styles' for countable references.
I go to karate every Tuesday.
I go to karate class every Tuesday.
while 'go to karate' is used informally, adding 'class' or 'practice' makes the meaning clearer in formal writing.

Word family

  • karateka
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Karate, judo, and taekwondo are all martial arts but differ in technique and origin. Karate (from Japan) emphasises hand strikes, kicks, and blocks, and is practised both for self-defence and as a sport. Judo (also Japanese) focuses on throws, holds, and grappling rather than striking — competitors win by pinning or submitting an opponent. Taekwondo (from Korea) places greater emphasis on high, fast kicks and jumping/spinning techniques. Kung fu is a broader term covering hundreds of Chinese fighting styles, often with fluid, circular movements and animal-inspired forms. The umbrella term 'martial arts' includes all of the above plus many others (e.g. aikido, Muay Thai, Brazilian jiu-jitsu). For example: 'You use your hands a lot in karate, but in judo you grab the opponent's uniform and throw them.' 'She switched from taekwondo to karate because she preferred the hand techniques.'

judo ↗taekwondo ↗kung fumartial arts

Common collocations

Nouns

  • karate class
  • karate lesson
  • karate uniform
  • karate belt
  • karate move
  • karate tournament
  • karate instructor
  • karate studio
  • karate style
  • karate technique

Phrases

  • practise karate
  • take up karate
  • learn karate
  • teach karate
  • study karate
  • do karate
  • black belt in karate
  • style of karate

Prepositions

  • in karate
  • of karate

Etymology

OkinawanJapaneseEnglish

Karate comes from the Japanese word 空手 (karate), where 'kara' (空) means 'empty' and 'te' (手) means 'hand' — literally 'empty hand'. The name refers to the fact that practitioners fight without weapons. The martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom (modern-day Okinawa) over several centuries, blending native Okinawan fighting methods (te, 手) with influences from Chinese martial arts. It was formally named 'karate' in the early 20th century and introduced to mainland Japan in 1922. After World War II, karate spread globally, and the word entered English in the 1950s.