Pinan
Series of five karate kata taught in many karate styles
ピンアン
- Type
- Forms, kata and routines
- Martial arts
- Karate
- Classified as
- kata, karate kata
The Pinan (Chinese: 平安, Píng'ān; Japanese: ピンアン, Pin'an) kata are a series of five empty hand forms taught in many karate styles. The Pinan kata originated in Okinawa and were adapted by Anko Itosu from older kata such as Kusanku and Channan into forms suitable for teaching karate to young students. Pinan is the Chinese Pinyin notation of 平安; when Gichin Funakoshi brought karate to Japan, he changed the kata name to Heian (平(へい)安(あん)), which is the onyomi pronunciation of the same kanji. Pinan or Heian means "peaceful and safe". Korean Tang Soo Do, one of 5 original kwan of Korea, also practice these kata; they are termed, Pyung Ahn (Korean: 평안, Pyeong-an), which is a Korean pronunciation of the term "ping-an".
Other Karate forms, kata and routines
- Anaku
- Passai
- Yakusoku Kumite Forms
- Ansan
- Heian Godan
- Heian Nidan
- Heian Sandan
- Heian Yondan
- Heian Shodan
- Seiryu
- Shisochin
- Taikyoku
- Wankan
Japanese terms for forms, kata and routines
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 三戦 | sanchin | sanchin; fundamental karate kata focusing on breathing, stability, and body hardening |
| 徳俵 | tokudawara | 4 bales on the edge of the ring set slightly back |
| 套路 | touro | taolu (Chinese martial arts forms); martial arts routine |
| 五形拳 | gokeiken | Wu Xing Fist; Five Form Fist (Dragon, Snake, Tiger, Crane, Leopard) |
| 形稽古 | katageiko | form refinement training |
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q1465287 (CC0); text quoted from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.