The Spirit of Karate

[Prince Loeffler]

Can anyone tell what the terms of "Spirit of Karate" in Japanese terms. Thanks !

[Josh Reyer]

We're going to need a bit more context, Prince. There's a number of different terms we could use for "spirit".

[Prince Loeffler]

We're going to need a bit more context, Prince. There's a number of different terms we could use for "spirit".


Sure Josh and Thanks as always ! I am trying to put up a little kids karate Shiai for the my dojo along with my other in San Diego and I thought to use something like " The Spirit of Karate-Do Tournament"

[Joseph Svinth]

It's not spirit (though kokoro might work), but how about the following --

Gambatte -- "persevere"

Jingi -- "exert one's self"

Jundo Seisho -- "orderly road to victory"

Kokki -- "control selfish desires"

Those are phrases traditionally associated with judo shiai.

[Andrew S]

Karate-do no tamashi?
空手道の魂

What does everyone else think?

[Josh Reyer]

Personally, I think "Karate-do no Kokoro" 空手道の心 or "Karate-do no Seishin" 空手道の精神 would be best. "Karate no tamashii" strikes me as too macho and burly. It's the kind of thing you see in over-produced Pride and K1 tournaments.

[Prince Loeffler]

So many choices, I like them all too. Josh,, what would be the english translation for "Karate-do no Seishin"

Again, thanks everyone ! You are guys are great !

[Joseph Svinth]

Both of Josh's suggestions represent reasonable translations of "Spirit of Karate-do." Seishin tanren, for instance, is an aphorism that means "forging the spirit" (as in forging swords, rather than forging checks).

[Andrew S]

Personally, I think "Karate-do no Kokoro" 空手道の心 or "Karate-do no Seishin" 空手道の精神 would be best. "Karate no tamashii" strikes me as too macho and burly. It's the kind of thing you see in over-produced Pride and K1 tournaments.

Good point. I noticed about 10 years ago when Japanese people started wearing t-shirts with Japanese on them (as opposed to "almost English"). the most common design was the "Yamatodamashii", worn by the "I love Pride and K-1" crowd.

I agree with your seishin suggestion.

[StevenR]

So many choices, I like them all too. Josh,, what would be the english translation for "Karate-do no Seishin"

精神 = spirit / soul / mind

So, Karate-do no Seishin (空手道の精神) can be read as "The Spirit of Karate-Do"

All the best,
Steven