Terminology

Why do we learn Theory and Korean Terms?

Learning the theory behind TaekwonDo is an important part of your training. At every grading you will be tested on theory and Korean terms relevant to your grade.  You should also try to remember theory and Korean terms from all previous gradings.

TaekwonDo is an international martial art originating from Korea.  As such the terminology is taught in Korean to break down international language barriers.  You do not need to speak Korean to learn TaekwonDo! However you should try to learn the Korean terminology used.

You should also learn the meanings behind the patterns, which are named after historical Korean figures who set a good example to others (usually in demonstrating the tenets of TaekwonDo).

Whilst the theory can be a little daunting to start with, you will be surprised at how easy it becomes if you put the effort in. For example the Korean for stance is ‘Sogi’; therefore all stances in Korean are {something} Sogi, e.g annun sogi = sitting stance, gunnun sogi = walking stance.  So now all you need to learn are the names of the different stances, because you know the word for stance is 'Sogi'.

We suggest that you learn the basics as quickly as possible, and then always try to learn any new terminology relevant to your grade (for example new moves in patterns).

This page contains a comprehensive list of TaekwonDo terms in English and Korean.  Use the search box at the top of each table to find a specific term (English or Korean).