Karate | Origin, Description, & History - Britannica

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External Websites

• International Olympic Committee - Karate
• ABC listen - Queensland Afternoons - Tuesday Teams: karate
• World Shotokan Karate-do Federation Australia - History of Karate
• NBC Olympics - Karate 101: History
• Frontiers - Frontiers in Sports and Active Living - A thing about karate in physical culture
• Healthline - 11 Types of Karate and How They Compare

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karate, unarmed martial-arts discipline employing kicking, striking, and defensive blocking with arms and legs. Emphasis is on concentrating as much of the body’s power as possible at the point and instant of impact. Striking surfaces include the hands (particularly the knuckles and the outer edge), ball of the foot, heel, forearm, knee, and elbow. All are toughened by practice blows against padded surfaces or wood. Pine boards up to several inches in thickness can be broken by the bare hand or foot of an expert. Timing, tactics, and spirit, however, are each considered at least as important as physical toughening.

In sporting karate and sparring (kumite) in training, blows and kicks are stopped short, preferably within an inch of contact. Sporting matches commonly last about three minutes, to a decision, if neither contestant has scored a clean “killing” point in the estimation of the judges. Contests of form (kata) are also held, in which single competitors perform predetermined series of movements simulating defense and counterattack against several opponents. Performances are scored by a panel of judges, as in gymnastics.

Japanese: “empty hand” (Show more) Related Topics: Olympic Games mixed martial arts martial art Summer Olympic Games (Show more) On the Web: Frontiers - Frontiers in Sports and Active Living - A thing about karate in physical culture (Dec. 02, 2025) (Show more) See all related content

Karate evolved in East Asia over a period of centuries, becoming systematized in Okinawa in the 17th century, probably by people forbidden to carry weapons. It was imported into Japan in the 1920s. Several schools and systems developed, each favouring somewhat different techniques and training methods. Karate, like other Asian martial-arts disciplines, stresses mental attitude, rituals of courtesy, costumes, and a complex ranking system (by colour of belt). There is some overlapping of technique with other fighting styles.

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