Learn what "Osu" means and why we say it in martial arts like Kyokushin Karate, BJJ or MMA. Jesse Enkamp, a.k.a. "The Karate Nerd" reveals when and how to use OSS correctly, including it's fascinating Japanese origins, history and culture. Visit http://www.karatebyjesse.com to learn more. Here are the 3 possible origins of the term: #1: The Kyokushin Theory The first theory comes from Japanese full-contact Kyokushin Karate. You see, in Kyokushin it’s common wisdom that the term “Osu!” stems from a longer phrase known as “Osu no Seishin”. In this particular case, “Osu!” is a combination of two different kanji (Sino-Japanese characters), namely the verb ‘osu’ which means “to push”, and ‘shinobu’ which means “to endure/suffer” or “to hide”. Put together, these two kanji form a new compound word, which can symbolize a lot of stuff, depending on who interprets it: “combat spirit”, “the importance of effort” “the necessity to overcome all obstacles by pushing them aside”, “advancing with a steady positive attitude”, “not showing suffering” and “the spirit of perseverance” are some of the commonly cited meanings of this “Osu!” version. In other words, since Kyokushin Karate requires extreme amounts of physical conditioning and guts – this theory says that you are verbally reminding yourself to breach your comfort zone by putting your physical/mental limits to the test every time you say “Osu!”. #2: The ‘Good Morning’ Theory The next theory comes from Dr. Mizutani Osamu in Japan. Dr. Mizutani, a linguistics professor at the University of Nagoya and frequently quoted in The Japan Times as a “language expert”, talks in his work about a fascinating experiment he once conducted with a group of random people in order to observe the various ways in which subjects would return a simple morning greeting. Put briefly, Dr. Mizutani greeted unknown people on the streets of Nagoya with the expression “Ohayo gozaimasu!” (the most polite Japanese equivalent of “Good morning!”) and noted the different responses. The result? Although most subjects replied in a similar manner (“Ohayo gozaimasu!”), during the course of the experiment Dr. Mizutani noticed that greetings changed as situations changed. Joggers, for instance, involved in an athletic activity, responded with considerably rougher language than people who were just out for a stroll or walking their dog. So, the conclusion drawn by Mizutani was that “Osu!” is a very rough masculine expression used mainly by young men toward other men, most often while engaged in athletic activities, and that it basically means “Hey ya!” in English. #3: The Onegaishimasu Theory This last theory is called ‘The Onegaishimasu Theory’. It’s similar to the previous ‘Good Morning Theory’ in the sense that a longer (formal) Japanese expression gets shortened to a more pragmatic (but less respectful) version. Although “Onegaishimasu” is one of the most common expressions used in Japanese everyday language, it’s actually a pretty hard-to-translate term in English, and the closest equivalents I can come up with are “Please”, “Do me the favor”, or “Grant me the pleasure”, i.e. inducing a mutual feeling of reprocity and gratitude. So, how does “Onegaishimasu” become “Osu!”? Well, I actually noticed this phenomenon unfold myself on several occasions when I lived in Japan: While most regular students would exclaim “Onegaishimasu” as they bowed to each other before beginning an exercise, a couple of youngsters would always gradually shorten the phrase, until, by the end of class, the only thing that could be distinguished from the intended “Onegaishimasu” was a simple “Osu!” grunt. Although the usage of “Osu!” has reached embarassing heights in modern Karate today (including some MMA and BJJ gyms), people are bound to keep using it because of its newfound meaning in martial arts circles as a handy, all-encompassing utility word. But... you should never say it to a Japanese person – unless he is younger than you, lower in rank, or wants you to say it (if you’re a woman, don’t say it at all). This is a VERY touchy subject! “Osu!” expresses a strong assertiveness, masculinity and “let’s-kick-butt” spirit in Japanese. So what could you say instead? In 9 times out of 10, there are two very good options: Say “Hai!”… …or say nothing. “Hai!” is the commonly used word in Japanese for “yes”/”understood”/”affirmative”. That’s what we say in Okinawa – the birthplace of Karate – as well as in many other places where the “Osu!” parade hasn’t arrived yet and people value humility. Most importantly; just shut up & train. (Especially if you’re a true Karate Nerd) However, if your instructor demands “Osu!” – go ahead and say it. Because it would be disrespectful to not say it. At the end of the day, that’s what matters. “Karate wa rei ni hajimari, rei ni owaru.” (“Karate begins & ends with respect.”) – Funakoshi Gichin (1868-1957) Visit http://www.karatebyjesse.com to learn more.

• published: 15 Sep 2019
• views: 109145