Tae Kwon Do Terminology

Definition of Tae Kwon Do

Tae” means “foot” or “to strike with the feet”. “Kwon” means “hand”, or “to strike with the hand”. “Do” means discipline, art, or way. Hence Tae Kwon Do (foot-hand-way) means literally “the art of the feet and the hands” or “the art of kicking and punching”.

Numerals

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
hanah dool set net dasot yasot ilgop yadol ahop yool

Basic Commands

  • choon bi: ready
  • bah ro: return to starting position (relax)
  • cha ryuht: attention
  • kyung nae: bow

Basic Stances

  • sohgi: stance
  • ahnjun sohgi: sitting stance
  • ahp sohgi: walking stance
  • niun ja sohgi: ‘L’-stance

Basic Techniques

  • chagi: kick
  • ahp chagi: front kick
  • yup chagi: side kick
  • dolrya chagi: round (roundhouse) kick
  • dwi chagi: back kick
  • chirugi: punch
  • bahro chirugi: straight (return) punch
  • bahndae chirugi: reverse punch
  • sahnkeut chirugi: spearfinger thrust
  • mahki: block
  • bahkat palmahk mahki: outer forearm block
  • ahn palmahk mahki: inner forearm block
  • ahnuro mahki: inward block
  • bahkuro mahki: outward block
  • ahrae mahki: low block
  • cho kyo mahki: rising block

Other Terms

  • dobok: uniform
  • dhee: belt
  • tul: patterns
  • dojang: place where one trains