Karate stances

Karate has many different stances, each used to create power, flexibility and movement. Some stances focus more on mobility than stability, and vice versa. These are the most common stances in karate:

In all these stances the knees are bent very slightly. There are no stances where weight rests on a leg with a completely straight knee.

Heisoku-dachi (閉足立, Feet together stance)
Feet together. This is usually a transitional stance, although it is used as the ready stance in some kata.

Musubi-dachi (結び立, Joining stance)
Heels together, toes open at about 45 degrees. This stance is used to perform the formal respectful bow, rei (礼).

Musubi-dachi-heiko (結び立-平行)
From musubi-dachi, open heels until both outer edges of feet are parallel. Some styles don't distinguish this stance from heiko-dachi.

Hachiji-dachi (八字立, natural stance, literally "stand like the character 八")
The feet are shoulder width apart, toes open at 45 degrees. Sometimes this stance is called soto-hachiji-dachi (外八字立). This is the basic ready stance in Karate.

Uchi hachiji-dachi (内八字立, literally "stand like the upside-down character 八")
The feet are shoulder width apart, toes facing inwards at 30-45 degrees, knees tense. This stance is used in some formal exercises, for example the tsundome. Also called Chun'be or Naifanchin-dachi.

Heikō-dachi (平行立, parallel stance)
The feet are shoulder width apart, and their outer edges are parallel. This is a common transitional stance in many kata.

Seisan-dachi (十三立, universal stance)
The feet are shoulder width apart, as in Heiko-dachi, but one foot is forward to where the heel is parallel with the big toe of the back foot.

Renoji-dachi (レの字立, stand like the character レ)
Feet are at the shoulder width. The foot in the front is fully frontal (toes facing forward), the rear foot is turned 90 degrees out, and is positioned in such a way that if the front foot is brought back, its heel will touch the heel of the rear foot. Thus the foot print is shaped like the character レ (or letter L). The weight is kept 70% on the rear foot.

Teiji-dachi (丁字立, stand like the character 丁)
Similar to renoji-dachi, but if the front foot is brought back, its heel will touch the middle of the rear foot, thus the foot print is shaped like the character 丁 (or letter T).

Chokusen-seisan-dachi (直線十三立, straight line universal stance)
Like the forward-facing Seisan-dachi, the feet are on the same angle and aligned the same, but they are moved 25-30 degrees to form a straight line forward but keeping the upper body in the same direction. This stance is quite often used for its fast turning speed.

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Wikipedia