Also known as | Karate Do 空手道 |
---|---|
Focus | Striking |
Hardness | Full-contact, semi-contact, light-contact |
Country of origin | Ryukyu Kingdom |
Creator | Sakukawa Kanga; Matsumura Sōkon; Itosu Ankō; Arakaki Seishō; Higaonna Kanryō |
Parenthood | Indigenous martial arts of Ryukyu Islands, Chinese martial arts |
Olympic sport | Yes (2020 Summer Olympics) |
Karate (空手?) (English /kəˈrɑːtiː/; Japanese pronunciation: [kaɾate]; Okinawan pronunciation: Ryukyuan pronunciation: [kaɽati]) is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called te (手?), "hand"; tii in Okinawan) under the influence of Chinese martial arts, particularly Fujian White Crane. Karate is now predominantly a striking art using punching, kicking, knee strikes, elbow strikes and open-hand techniques such as knife-hands, spear-hands, and palm-heel strikes. Historically, and in some modern styles, grappling, throws, joint locks, restraints, and vital-point strikes are also taught. A karate practitioner is called a karateka (空手家?).