noun
karate
kuh-RAH-tee
noun
1
A striking-based martial art, originally from Okinawa, built around punches, kicks, and open-hand strikes, along with some throws and grappling.
"She has trained in karate since she was six years old."
"His father runs a small karate school above the supermarket."
verb
1
To strike someone or something using karate-style techniques.
"He joked about karate-chopping the stack of firewood in half."
How to Use Karate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA martial art focused mainly on punching and kicking, developed in Okinawa and later spread through Japan and worldwide.
Common pairings
karate chop
karate class
black belt in karate
practice karate
Word Forms
karated past tense, karates singular
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Etymology
From Japanese karate, literally "empty hand" — originally written with characters meaning "China hand" before being reinterpreted to reflect fighting empty-handed, without weapons.