English pronunciation · Words Starting with K
Karate Pronunciation
Karate is pronounced ker-AH-tee, IPA /kɝˈɑti/.
ker-AH-tee
US /kɝˈɑti/ · UK /kəˈrɑːti/
Syllables: ker · AH · tee (3 syllables, stress on syllable 2)
noun: A Japanese martial art fought with strikes of the hands and feet.
Audio for the American and British pronunciations plays on this page with JavaScript enabled.
Karate in a Sentence
- She has done karate since she was six.
- The karate club meets in the church hall.
- He broke two boards at his karate grading.
Common Mispronunciations of Karate
Not KA-ruh-tee
AH in the middle is the loud beat, and the opening syllable goes past almost unheard.
Not ker-AH-tay
English closes the word on a long ee. The ay ending belongs to the Japanese original, where the final sound is closer to teh.
Tip: British speakers open with a plain kuh, kuh-RAH-tee, where Americans colour that first beat with an r.
More words starting with k · Every word in the pronunciation guide