Hachi

Hachi (八 / はち) is the Japanese word for the number eight ($8$).

In traditional Japanese martial arts (Budo), such as Karate, it is regularly used during class counting, line drills (kihon), and physical conditioning:

• Counting (1–8): Ichi (1), Ni (2), San (3), Shi/Yon (4), Go (5), Roku (6), Shichi/Nana (7), Hachi (8).

Key Contexts & Related Terms

• Counting Step: Instructors count off technical repetitions or stretches, with hachi representing the eighth count in a set.

• Hachi-dan (八段): "Eighth Degree"—refers to an 8th-degree black belt rank, typically held by senior master instructors.

• Hachiji-dachi (八字立ち): "Natural Stance" or "Figure-Eight Stance"—a fundamental waiting stance where the feet are shoulder-width apart with toes pointing slightly outward at roughly a $45^\circ$ angle, resembling the Japanese kanji character for eight (八).