Taekwondo Terminology – Key Words & Commands

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 formsITF Taekwondo patternssparringstretching, 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.

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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

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)

Taekwondo Terminology - Picture of two Taekwondo martial artists 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

  1. TaekwondoAnimals.com, Taekwondo Words & Commands, https://taekwondoanimals.com/taekwondo-words-terms.asp
  2. Kukkiwon World Taekwondo Headquarters, Taekwondo Techniques, http://www.kukkiwon.or.kr/front/pageView.action?cmd=/eng/information/taekwondoSkill2