Terminology: Osu, Ous, Ossu ???

krunchyfrogg · Green Belt

Which is correct? What does the word actually mean?
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gheinisch · KF VIP

The correct way can be any of those I believe. Mr. Redmond explains it in depth at this link better then I could even start too. Hope it helps.

http://www.24fightingchickens.com/mu/osu/index.html
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krunchyfrogg · Green Belt

Thanks a lot for that link...

LOL! I was hoping for a different viewpoint, as my Sensei printed that exact article up a few days ago and showed it to me!
_________________
"A life is not important, except in the impact it has on other lives."
-- Jackie Robinson

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
-- Edmund Burke

informer · Orange Belt

It means push and is usually seen on exit doors as in push the door to get out. It should not be used in the dojo, unless of course it's kyokushin kai...they love to say it every 45 seconds LOL

equaninimus · Purple Belt

Not neccesarily. I have been in Shoto and Wado dojos ewhere the instructors (Japanese) and students were also "osu-oholoics."
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Midnight_kitty · Yellow Belt

I've been taking Japanese class for a few years now. In my third class I responded to the teacher with osu (out of habit because of karate). She explained to me how it is incorrect to use that term. She told me that it is used by macho men and gangsters. She said its disrespectful if you use it with someone who has a higher rank than your own. Ever since than I just say hai in karate class...and in japanese -_-.

*mArTiAl_GiRl* · Purple Belt

OSU is correct.
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Guest · Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 2:07 pm Post subject:

I'm certainly no expert but I would guess that since Japanese doesn't use the roman alphabet, the spelling of "OSU" is phonetic and may vary.

tommarker · Black Belt

I just always assumed there were a lot of Karateka who liked Buckeye Football..

Ohio State University = OSU

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Killer Miller · Brown Belt

Osu should only be used with Karate buddies and friends. It's primarily used as a Karate thing - in this context. Most respectable Japanese will not admit to knowing what the word is - they prefer it not to be used.

Outside of Karate, it should only be used with good friends - American or Japanese... This use would primarily be used for saying good morning as a contraction amongst friends in an informal invironment.

I use to work for many years for an extremely large international Japanese company. I have learned many lessons about improper useage of Japanese words. The only thing that saved me was that they were trying to learn English too. So we would all help, scold, and laugh and each others' poor useage of languages...

For example,

Japanese mis-useage/mis understanding of words:
1. I ask a Japanese where he played golf at over the weekend. He answered "San Saw F###ing" very loudly in front of a busy national headquarters entrance. He was trying to say "San Jaquin."
2. A high ranked Japanese coordinator comes to me upset and says that one of the high rank managers always says to him "You Bad!" After understanding the context of the conversation, I realize that the Japanese coordinator asked to borrow the company vehicle from the American manager. The American manager was actually replying "You Bet..."

I could go on with many more language barrier examples - many very funny. But you get the idea.

- Killer -
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