Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “karate” come from?

Karate is an English word derived from Japanese 空手, composed of 空 meaning "empty" and 手 meaning "hand."

karate (English): An Okinawan martial art involving primarily...

Definitions

  1. An Okinawan martial art involving primarily...

Ancestry of “karate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese空手karate; the state of being empty-handed; the...
2Japanese唐手Alternative spelling of 空手
3Japanese唐foreign lands in general; element in compounds,...
4Japanese伽羅Short for 伽羅木 : a Japanese yew variety, Taxus...
5Sanskritकालागुरु—

Words derived from “karate”

  • karateist
  • karatelike
  • karateman
  • karatist
  • karate
  • karate
Every word from Sanskrit कालागुरु →