テコンドー
tekondō[te̞kõ̞ndo̞ː]
テコンドー (tekondō) is the Japanese word for taekwondo. Wiktionary also lists 跆拳道 (tekondō).
Meaning: a martial art (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| テコンドー | tekondō | [te̞kõ̞ndo̞ː] (narrow) |
| 跆拳道 | tekondō |
This term refers to the martial art of taekwondo. It is a noun used to describe the sport or the discipline itself.
Which one should you use?
In modern Japanese, the katakana form テコンドー is the standard way to write the name of the sport. The kanji form 跆拳道 can be used specifically when you want to refer to the traditional roots of the art.
How do you pronounce it?
tekondō
Did you know?
- The etymology of the term traces back to the Korean characters meaning 'foot', 'fist' and 'way'. Because these characters are shared with the Chinese-based writing system used in Japan, the phonetic reading in Japanese is actually a transcription of the Korean sound rather than a Japanese reading of the kanji.
- While テコンドー is a Korean art, the final character 道 is the same one used in 空手道 'karate-do' and 柔道 'judo'. This character represents a philosophical 'way' or 'path' of self-improvement shared across East Asian martial arts.
- In Japanese, テコンドー is categorized under the broader term 武道 'budō'. This umbrella term includes various martial disciplines, effectively grouping this foreign import with traditional Japanese arts.
Examples in context
- テコンドーは、オリンピック種目のひとつです。Taekwondo is one of the sports at the Olympic Games.This sentence is useful for noting that テコンドー is an Olympic sport.Tatoeba #10193583 by small_snow, translation #10193617 by tsp_2
- 田中さんはテコンドーの先生です。Mr. Tanaka is a Taekwondo instructor.
Example conversation
Hiyori and Kenta are talking about their hobbies.
- 陽葵 Himari健太さんは何かスポーツをしていますか？Kenta-san wa nanika supōtsu o shite imasu ka?Kenta, are you playing any sports?
- 健太 Kentaはい、今はテコンドーにハマっています。Hai, ima wa tekondō ni hamatte imasu.Yes, I'm really into taekwondo right now.
- 陽葵 Himariすごい！いつから始めたんですか？Sugoi! Itsu kara hajimeta n desu ka?Amazing! When did you start?
- 健太 Kenta半年前から週に二回練習しています。Hantoshi mae kara shū ni nikai renshū shite imasu.I've been practicing twice a week since six months ago.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “taekwondo” translations and entries テコンドー, 跆拳道, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries テコンドー, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
