A brief word on pronunciation: the Korean language has several letters and phonetics that either are not nuanced in or do not appear at all in the English language. Two such examples of nuance are the G/K and the D/T sounds. The Koreans have three levels of "hardness" to each of these sounds. They have the soft ‘g’ as in good, the have the hard ‘k’ as in kick, and then they have a sound somewhere in the middle and represented by the Gk combination in the phonetic key below in words like Kuk Kee (Gku Gkey) meaning flag. They have a soft ‘d’ as in dog, a hard ‘t’ as in time and a sound somewhere in between signified by the Dt combination in the pronunciation key below in words like Dee (Dtee) for belt. The letters R and L is often pronounced as though combined as in the word Ba-Ro (Bah-Row/Bah-Low/Bah/Low) meaning return. I have tried to replicate as best I can the sounds I hear when Koreans pronounce these words and hope that it will be a help to the TSD learner as she or he studies the language.

Key: Word Pronunciation key - Definition

Ahneso Phakuro Cha Kee Ah-ne-so Pa-ku-ro Cha Gkey - Inside outside crescent kick

Ap Cha Kee Ap Cha Gkey - Front kick

Ap Meel Ro Cha Kee Ap Me Roe Cha Gkey - Front pushing kick

Ap Podo Cha Kee Ap Poe-Doe Cha Gkey or Ah-ph-ro – Kick forward; used for Front snap kick

Anjo Ahn-Joe - Sit

Bae-Rae Bay-Ray - Salute "Kyung Rae"

Ba-Ro Bah-Row/Low/Doe (a hard R/L almost like a "D") - Return, as in to the former position

Cha Ryut Cherry-ut - Attention

Chung Jik Chung Jik - Honesty

Chung Shin Tong Il Chung Shin Tongue Ill – Concentration; the mind and body as one

Chase Chah Say or Jah Say – Stance literal means "form"

Chin Chin – Advance (also pronounced Jin as in Neh Boo Jin)

Choon Bee Choon Bee or June Bee – Ready

Choon Bee Chase Choon Bee Chah Say or June Bee Jah Say – Ready Stance

Dan Dahn – The midnight blue belt or one who wears it

Dee Dtee – Belt pronounced with a hard "D"

Do Doe – Way, from Chinese Tao

Do Bok Doe Bahk – Way of life; uniform

Do Jang Doe Jang – Training hall; gym

Duk Duck – Virtue

Dull Ryo Dull Ryo – around

Dull Ryo Cha Kee Dull Ryo Cha Gkey – Round house kick

Dwee Cha Kee Dwee Cha Gkey – Back kick

Dwee Dull Ryo Cha Kee Dwee Dull Ryo Cha Gkey - Spinning back kick

Dwee Ro Tora Dwee Ro Tora – Turn to the rear

E-Dan E-Dahn - Jumping (literally meaning "the second level")

Ee (See also Yi) E – Second

Gee (See also Kee) Gee – Flag

Gup Gup – Grade, color belt

Ha Dan Ha Dahn – Low

Ha Nam Hah Na’am – The Korean pronunciation of the Chinese Province of Hunan

Ha Buk Hah Book – The Korean pronunciation of the Chinese Province of Hebei

Him Cho Chung Him Cho Chung – Control of Power

Ho Sin Sool Hoe Sin Suel – Self-Defense

Hyung Hyoung – Fighting form; the Japanese equivalent is Kata

In Neh In Nay – Endurance

Kee Key – Flag

Kee Cho Key Cho - Basic

Kee Mahk Chase Key Mock Chah See – Horseback stance

Kee Hap Key Up – Shout

Ko Dan Ja Gkoe Dahn Jah – Senior Dan holder 4th degree and above, not the head of a school

Kong Kyuk Gkong Gkyuk – Punch; attack

Kuk Gkook – Nation, Country

Ku Ryung Gkoo R-young – Count

Ku Ryung Ae Mat Cho So Gkoo R-young A Mat Choe Soe – by the Count

Ku Ryung Op Shi Gkoo R-young Ope She – without the Count

Kuk Kee Gku Gkey – National Flag

Kum Mop Sum Ni Dah Come Mop Soom Nee Dah – Thank you (very respectful)

Kum Sah Hap Ni Dah Come Sah Hamn Nee Dah – Thank you (polite)

Kwan Gkwahn – Institute

Kwan Kee Gkwahn Gkey – Institute’s Flag; Moo Duk Kwan style flag

Kwang Jang Nim Gkwahng Jahng Nim – Institute’s president/founder/leader; Grand Master

Kwan Soo Gkwahn Soo – Spear Hand

Kyo Sah Nim Keyoe Sah Nim – Lecturer/Instructor primarily in the academic setting, but can be used to refer to any instructor assisting the senior instructor

Kyok Pa Kyok Pa – Breaking Techniques

Kyum Son Kyum Son – Humility

Kyung Lyet Kyung Lyet – Bow

Mahk Kee Mahk Gkey – Block

Moo Moo – Martial

Moo Duk Kwan Moo Duck Quahn – Institute of Martial Virtue (From the Chinese Characters). This is the name of the style or organization from which we come. Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee founded it in 1945.

Moo Roop Cha Kee Moo Roop Cha Gkey – Knee Kick

Muk Nyum Muke Nyahm – Meditate

Neh Boo Jin Nay Boo Jin – Inward-step-advance; the original name for the Ninhanchi forms.

Pal Pal – Arm

Pal Koop Pal Coop – Elbow

Pal Mok Pal Mok – Wrist

Peet Cha Kee Pete Cha Gkey – Diagonal inside outside snap kick (AKA reverse round house). Peet literally means at an angle as in the force and direction of the kick.

Phakeso Ahnuro Cha Kee Pa-kay-so Ah-nu-ro Cha Gkey – Outside-inside Crescent Kick

Podo – means "direction"

Pyang Ahn Pyahng Ahn – Peaceful Confidence

Sah Bu Nim Sah Boo Nim – Master/ Head of a School

Sang Dan Sung Dahn – High

Sun Saeng Nim – Teacher

Shi-Jak She-Jock – Begin

Shin Chook Shin Chook – Tension and relaxation

Shi-O She-Oh – End or Relax

Soo Sue – Chinese word meaning hand; as in Tang Soo Do.

Soo Bak Do Sue Bahk Doe – The ancient Korean word meaning "Martial Arts."

Soo Do Sue Doe – Knife Hand

Sun Beh Nim Sun Bay Nim – Dan Level Instructor (literally "my senior")

Ta-Ri Dtah Ree – Leg

Tang Tahng (a short "A" sound, NOT like the drink) – The name of a Chinese Dynasty lasting from 618-907AD, after which we get the name of our style Tang Soo Do.

Tang Soo Do Tahng Sue Doe – "Way of the Chinese Hand/Fist;" The name of the art we study.

Tora Tora – Turn

Wan Gup Wan Gup – Speed Control

Wheng Jin Kong Kyuk Hweng Jin Kong Kyuk – Horse back stance side middle punch. Wheng literally means "cross ways" as in the direction of the punch in relation to the body.

Yi or E Yi or E – Second or Jump

Yong Gi Young Gkey – Courage

Yo Dan Jah You Dahn Jah – Dan [black belt] holder

Yu Gup Ja You Gup Jah – Gup [colored belt] holder

Yuk Gin Kong Kyuk

Yup Cha Kee Yup Cha Gkey – Side Kick

Yup Hu Ri Kee Yup Who Ree Gkey – Side Hook Kick

Yup Podo Cha Kee Yup Pooh-Doe Cha Gkey – Side Snap Kick