What it means
کاراته (kârâteh) is a direct borrowing of the Japanese word karate, meaning empty hand, referring to the Japanese martial art of striking with hands, feet, elbows, and knees without a weapon. The word entered Persian from Japanese and has been fully naturalized in spoken and written Farsi, used identically to its source. In Iran, کاراته is one of the most widely taught martial arts, present in schools, sports clubs, and national competition circuits. Its closest sibling in Persian sports vocabulary is جودو (judo), also a Japanese borrowing.
How to use it
- او کاراته کار میکند. (u kârâteh kâr mikonad.) “He practices karate.”
- باشگاه کاراته نزدیک خانهمان است. (bâshgâh-e kârâteh nazdik-e khânemân ast.) “The karate club is near our house.”
- دختر من کمربند آبی کاراته دارد. (dokhtar-e man kamarband-e âbi-ye kârâteh dârad.) “My daughter has a blue belt in karate.”
- کاراته در المپیک بازی شد. (kârâteh dar olampik bâzi shod.) “Karate was played at the Olympics.”
Cultural note
Karate has deep roots in Iranian sports culture, introduced in the 1960s and growing rapidly after the revolution when martial arts were seen as compatible with values of discipline and self-defense. Iran has produced world-class karatekas and the sport is governed by the Iran Karate Federation, which oversees competitions at all ages. Karate appeared as an Olympic sport for the first time at the 2020 Tokyo Games, a moment that generated significant national interest in Iran.