This page explores Taekwondo terminology. It provides you with many of the basic Korean words, terms and commands used in Taekwondo. Many Taekwondo schools in the USA and around the world are run by Korean instructors thus you will have to learn some basic Korean during your training (i.e. Korean numbers, Korean names of kicks, etc.). Korean vocabulary is often used by Taekwondo instructors during WTF Taekwondo forms, ITF Taekwondo patterns, sparring, stretching, drills, etc. Please also watch the videos at the bottom the page in order to learn how many of these Korean words are pronounced. For other Taekwondo information (i.e. Taekwondo form & pattern instruction), please visit Black Belt Wiki’s main Taekwondo section.
Instructional Books – Taekwondo Books
Related Pages
- Common Korean Phrases – Learn how to say Hello, Goodbye, Thank You, etc. in Korean
- Taekwondo Numbers – How to count in Korean for stretching, forms & patterns, etc.
- Taekwondo Kicks – Korean names for Taekwondo kicking techniques
- Taekwondo Punches & Strikes – Korean names for Taekwondo punches & hand strikes
- Taekwondo – Names of Body Parts – Korean names for head, hand, etc.
- Taekwondo Forms – Names, videos & instructions for Taekwondo forms
- ITF Taekwondo Patterns – Names, videos & instructions for ITF Taekwondo patterns
Taekwondo Words & Commands – English to Korean
- Arc Hand – Ageumson
- Arm – Pal
- Attention – Charyut (sounds like Chari-yut)
- Back or Backwards – Dwi (i.e. Dwi Chagi = Back Kick)
- Basic – Kibon
- Begin – Sijak
- Belt – Ti
- Block – Makgi (sounds like Mah-key)
- Bow – Kyungnet
- Breaking – Gyeok-pa, Kyeok-pa, Kyuk-pa, etc.
- Continue – Kaesok
- Dodge or Evade – Pihagi
- Elbow – Palgup
- Fist – Joomock
- Foot – Baal
- Foot (Ball of Foot) – Apchuk
- Foot Blade – Balnal
- Foot Instep – Baldeung
- Forms – Poomse or Poomsae (sounds like Poom-say)
- Front – Ap (i.e. Ap Chagi = Front Kick)
- Grab – Japgi
- Hand – Son
- Head – Mori
- Hello – Anyeong Haseyo (sounds like An-young Ha-say-yo)
- Instructor (Master) – Sabomnim (sounds like Sah-bum-nim)
- Jump – Ttwigi
- Kick – Chagi (sounds like Cha-gee)
- Knee – Mureup
- Leg – Dari
- Neck – Mok (or Mog)
- Punch – Jireugi
- Push – Milgi
- Ready – Joon Bi
- Referee – Joo Sim
- Return (i.e. turn & face instructor at the end of a form) – Baro (sounds like Baa-row)
- School (Taekwondo) – Dojang
- Self-Defense – Hosinsool
- Shin – Jeonggangi
- Side or Sideways – Yeop (i.e. Yeop Chagi = Side Kick)
- Sparring – Kyorugi
- Stance – Sogi or Seogi (sounds like Say-oh-gee)
- Stop – Kalyeo
- Strike – Chigi (sounds like Chee-gee)
- Student – Hak Saeng or Jeja (depending on the Taekwondo system)
- Student (Senior) – Sonbaenim
- Thank you – Kamsa Hamnae Da (sounds like Kamsa-ham-ni-da)
- Thrust – Jjireugi
- Uniform – Dobok
- Warning (Sparring) – Kyunggo
- Yell – Kihap (sounds like Kee-yah-p) – word to use when you are kicking or punching for power
Taekwondo Kicks – English to Korean
- Axe Kick – Naeryeo-Chagi
- Back Kick – Dwi-Chagi
- Crescent Kick – Bandal-Chagi
- Front Kick – Ap-Chagi
- Hook Kick – Huryeo-Chagi
- Push Kick – Meereo-Chagi
- Roundhouse Kick – Dollyo-Chagi
- Scissor Kick – Kawi-Chagi
- Side Kick – Yeop-Chagi
- Spinning Hook Kick – Dwi-Huryeo-Chagi
- Tornado Kick – Dolgae-Chagi
- For the Korean names of other kicks, please visit Black Belt Wiki’s Taekwondo Kicks section.
Taekwondo Names for Body Parts – English to Korean
- Abdomen (Belly) – Bae
- Ankle – Balmok
- Arm – Pal
- Back – Teung or Deung
- Bone – Ppyeo
- Chest – Kaseum
- Chin/Jaw – Tuk or Teok
- Ear – Gwi
- Elbow – Palgup or Palkkumchi
- Eye – Noon or Nun
- Face – Eolgul
- Finger – Songarak
- Fist – Joomock
- Foot – Bal
- Foot (Ball of Foot) – Apchuk
- Foot Blade – Balnal
- Foot Instep – Baldeung
- Groin – Nang Sim
- Hair – Morikarak
- Hand – Son
- Head – Mori or Meori
- Heart – Simjang
- Kidney – Kongpat
- Knee – Mureup
- Leg – Dari or Tari
- Mouth – Ip
- Neck – Mok or Mog
- Nose – Ko
- Shin – Jeonggangi
- Stomach – Bae
- Thigh – Heobeokji
- Throat – Mokgumeong
- Thumb – Eomji
- Wrist – Son Mok
Taekwondo Numbers – English to Korean
- One – Hana (“Ha-na”)
- Two – Dul (“Dhool”)
- Three – Set (“Set”)
- Four – Net (“Net”)
- Five – Dasot (“Da-sut”)
- Six – Yasot (“Yo-sut”)
- Seven – Ilgup (“Eel-gope”)
- Eight – Yodol (“Yo-dull”)
- Nine – Ahop (“Ah-hope”)
- Ten – Yeol (“Yull”)
- For 11 through 19, add the Korean word for 10 in front of the last number. For example, eleven is Yeol Hana (“Yull Ha-na”) – the Korean words for 10 and 1.
- Eleven – Yeol Hana (“Yull Ha-na”)
- Twelve – Yeol Dul (“Yull Dhool”)
- Thirteen – Yeol Set (“Yull Set”)
- Fourteen – Yeol Net (“Yull Net”)
- Fifteen – Yeol Dasot (“Yull Da-sut”)
- Sixteen – Yeol Yasot (“Yull Yo-Sut”)
- Seventeen – Yeol Ilgup (“Yull Eel-gope”)
- Eighteen – Yeol Yodol (“Yull Yo-dull”)
- Nineteen – Yeol Ahop (“Yull Ah-hope”)
- Twenty – Seu-Mool (“Sew-mool”)
- For information on higher numbers, please visit Black Belt Wiki’s main Korean Numbers section.
Taekwondo Video – Basic Commands
Taekwondo Terminology – Kyorugi (Sparring)
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons via its Creative Commons license
Taekwondo Terminology Questions
What is a Taekwondo student called?
A Taekwondo student is called Hak Saeng or Jeja (depending on the Taekwondo system). Moreover, a senior student is often called Sonbaenim and a Taekwondo instructor (master) is a Sabomnim.
What is a Taekwondo school called?
The Korean word for Taekwondo school is Dojang. This word is used by other Korean martial arts such as Tang Soo Do and Hapkido. Dojang means the place of learning the way of martial arts. In Korean, Do means “the way” or “the art” and Jang means “place”.
References
- TaekwondoAnimals.com, Taekwondo Words & Commands, https://taekwondoanimals.com/taekwondo-words-terms.asp
- Kukkiwon World Taekwondo Headquarters, Taekwondo Techniques, http://www.kukkiwon.or.kr/front/pageView.action?cmd=/eng/information/taekwondoSkill2