Meaning & use
kata
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable or uncountablesport
In karate and other martial arts, a fixed sequence of moves performed alone to practise technique, balance and timing.
Grammar: Countable for a particular routine (learn a kata) and uncountable for the practice in general (kata is part of every lesson).
Patterns
- perform a kata
- practise kata
Before sparring, the students repeated the same kata until every movement was smooth.
She won the regional title for her performance of a difficult kata.
Our teacher says kata teaches focus as much as technique.
Word forms
| plural | kata |
|---|
Common combinations
- perform a kata
- He performed a kata in front of the judges.
- learn a kata
- It took her months to learn a new kata.
- practise kata
- They practise kata at the start of each lesson.
- karate kata
- Each belt level requires a different karate kata.
- kata competition
- The club entered a kata competition for the first time.
- basic kata
- Beginners start with a basic kata of about twenty moves.
Synonyms and how they differ
- form
- Form is the English word used in Chinese and Korean martial arts for the same kind of solo routine, so it is a near equivalent rather than the Japanese term.
- routine
- Routine is a general word for any set sequence, including dance and gymnastics, and lacks the martial-arts tradition kata suggests.
- drill
- A drill is any repeated practice exercise, often done with a partner, while a kata is a set pattern done alone.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: kata or kumite?
kata vs kumite
Kumite is sparring with an opponent, while a kata is a set routine performed alone.
Practice
Which of these best describes a kata?
Choose one answer.
A kata is a set routine done alone. A fight with a partner is sparring, and the uniform and belt are equipment, not practice.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “kata”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.