Hand attacks & blocks — ITF Taekwon-Do

Punches, Strikes & Thrusts

Each hand attack is named by its tool, then its height or direction, then its action — jirugi (punch), taerigi (strike) or tulgi (thrust).

Punches · Jirugi

Technique	Korean	한글	Notes	First in pattern
Obverse punch	Baro Jirugi	바로 지르기	Punching with the fist on the same side as the front leg. Walking-stance punches named without a qualifier, as in Chon-Ji, are obverse punches.	Saju Jirugi 117 patterns
Reverse punch	Bandae Jirugi	반대 지르기	Punching with the fist on the rear-leg side.	Do-San 218 patterns
Side punch	Yop Jirugi	옆 지르기	Punching toward a target at the side of the body.	Won-Hyo 38 patterns
Vertical punch	Sewo Jirugi	세워 지르기	The fist lands upright, thumb side on top.	Joong-Gun 119 patterns
Twin vertical punch	Sang Sewo Jirugi	쌍 세워 지르기	Both fists punch together, held upright.	Joong-Gun 118 patterns
Upset punch	Dwijibo Jirugi	뒤집어 지르기	The fist is turned over, palm facing up, as it reaches the target.	Joong-Gun 128 patterns
Twin upset punch	Sang Dwijibo Jirugi	쌍 뒤집어 지르기	Both fists punch together, palms facing up.	Joong-Gun 124 patterns
Angle punch	Giokja Jirugi	기역자 지르기	The arm crosses in front of the body, bent like the Korean letter ㄱ.	Joong-Gun 304 patterns
Horizontal punch	Soopyong Jirugi	수평 지르기	The fist travels horizontally to a target at the side.	Po-Eun 122 patterns
Turning punch	Dollyo Jirugi	돌려 지르기	The fist travels in an arc to strike the side of the target.	Eui-Am 131 pattern
Crescent punch	Bandal Jirugi	반달 지르기	The fist travels in a half-moon arc.	Eui-Am 122 patterns
Upward punch	Ollyo Jirugi	올려 지르기	The fist rises from below, like an uppercut.	Hwa-Rang 52 patterns
Downward punch	Naeryo Jirugi	내려 지르기	Punching down at a low or fallen target.	Juche 321 pattern
U-shape punch	Digutja Jirugi	디귿자 지르기	Both fists strike at once, one high and one low, the arms forming a U (ㄷ).	Yoo-Sin 491 pattern

Strikes · Taerigi

Technique	Korean	한글	Notes	First in pattern
Knife-hand inward strike	Sonkal Anuro Taerigi	손칼 안으로 때리기	The knife-hand swings inward, toward the centre of the body.	Won-Hyo 24 patterns
Knife-hand outward strike	Sonkal Bakuro Taerigi	손칼 바깥으로 때리기	The knife-hand swings outward, away from the body.	Dan-Gun 186 patterns
Knife-hand side strike	Sonkal Yop Taerigi	손칼 옆 때리기	The knife-hand strikes a target at the side.	Do-San 235 patterns
Knife-hand downward strike	Sonkal Naeryo Taerigi	손칼 내려 때리기	The knife-hand chops down from above.	Hwa-Rang 71 pattern
Reverse knife-hand inward strike	Sonkal Dung Anuro Taerigi	손칼등 안으로 때리기	The thumb-side edge of the hand swings inward.	Not in the 24 patterns
Back-fist side strike	Dung Joomuk Yop Taerigi	등주먹 옆 때리기	The back of the fist snaps out to the side.	Do-San 712 patterns
Back-fist front strike	Dung Joomuk Ap Taerigi	등주먹 앞 때리기	The back-fist strikes a target in front.	Ge-Baek 116 patterns
Back-fist side-back strike	Dung Joomuk Yopdwi Taerigi	등주먹 옆뒤 때리기	The back-fist strikes to the side and rear.	Toi-Gye 35 patterns
Side-fist downward strike	Yop Joomuk Naeryo Taerigi	옆주먹 내려 때리기	The little-finger side of the fist hammers down.	Kwang-Gae 162 patterns
Front elbow strike	Ap Palkup Taerigi	앞팔굽 때리기	The elbow swings forward to the front.	Yul-Gok 245 patterns
Upper elbow strike	Wi Palkup Taerigi	위팔굽 때리기	The elbow drives upward, for example to the chin.	Joong-Gun 81 pattern
Arc-hand crescent strike	Bandalson Bandal Taerigi	반달손 반달 때리기	The curve between thumb and forefinger strikes in a crescent path, for example to the throat.	Juche 281 pattern
Back-hand horizontal strike	Sondung Soopyong Taerigi	손등 수평 때리기	The back of the open hand strikes horizontally.	Yoo-Sin 542 patterns
Twin knife-hand horizontal strike	Sang Sonkal Soopyong Taerigi	쌍 손칼 수평 때리기	Both knife-hands strike horizontally at the same time.	Choong-Jang 413 patterns
Knife-hand mid-air strike	Sonkal Twio Dolmyo Taerigi	손칼 뛰어 돌며 때리기	A knife-hand strike delivered while jumping and turning in the air.	Juche 121 pattern

Thrusts · Tulgi

Technique	Korean	한글	Notes	First in pattern
Straight fingertip thrust	Sun Sonkut Tulgi	선 손끝 뚫기	The fingertips thrust with the hand upright, thumb on top.	Do-San 67 patterns
Flat fingertip thrust	Opun Sonkut Tulgi	엎은 손끝 뚫기	The fingertips thrust with the palm facing down.	Toi-Gye 247 patterns
Upset fingertip thrust	Dwijibun Sonkut Tulgi	뒤집은 손끝 뚫기	The fingertips thrust with the palm facing up, usually to a low target.	Toi-Gye 23 patterns
Double fingertip thrust	Doo Songarak Tulgi	두 손가락 뚫기	The index and middle fingers thrust, for example at the eyes.	Choong-Jang 41 pattern
Side elbow thrust	Yop Palkup Tulgi	옆팔굽 뚫기	The elbow drives straight out to the side.	Toi-Gye 127 patterns
Back elbow thrust	Dwit Palkup Tulgi	뒷팔굽 뚫기	The elbow drives straight backward.	Po-Eun 94 patterns
Twin side elbow thrust	Sang Yop Palkup Tulgi	쌍 옆팔굽 뚫기	Both elbows drive out to the sides at once.	Toi-Gye 122 patterns
Twin horizontal elbow thrust	Sang Palkup Soopyong Tulgi	쌍 팔굽 수평 뚫기	Both elbows thrust horizontally at the same time.	Po-Eun 153 patterns

More attacking tools

Tool	Korean	한글
Under fist	Mit Joomuk	밑주먹
Long fist	Ghin Joomuk	긴주먹
Knuckle fist	Songarak Joomuk	손가락주먹
Middle-knuckle fist	Joongji Joomuk	중지주먹
Fore-knuckle fist	Inji Joomuk	인지주먹
Thumb-knuckle fist	Umji Joomuk	엄지주먹
Arc-hand	Bandalson	반달손
Bear hand	Gomson	곰손
Finger pincers	Jipge Son	집게손
Angle fingertips	Homi Sonkut	호미손끝
Double finger	Doo Songarak	두 손가락
Back forearm	Dung Palmok	등팔목
Under forearm	Mit Palmok	밑팔목
Bow wrist	Sonmok Dung	손목등

Spellings follow General Choi’s Encyclopedia, as in the pattern guide, and vary between federations. If your device has a Korean voice, tap the speaker to hear a term. Checked against ITF tools and techniques and HSTS terminology. Your own syllabus may differ in the details.

More Blocks · Makgi

Besides the basic blocks listed below, the patterns use many other blocks.

Technique	Korean	한글	Notes	First in pattern
Forearm guarding block	Palmok Daebi Makgi	팔목 대비 막기	Like the knife-hand guarding block, but with the forearm and a closed fist.	Won-Hyo 2715 patterns
Inner forearm circular block	An Palmok Dollimyo Makgi	안팔목 돌리며 막기	The inner forearm circles to deflect an attack.	Won-Hyo 196 patterns
W-shape block	San Makgi	산 막기	Both forearms block at once, one to each side, in a W (“mountain”) shape.	Toi-Gye 136 patterns
U-shape block	Digutja Makgi	디귿자 막기	Both arms form a U (ㄷ) to catch an attack such as a pole.	Joong-Gun 313 patterns
Double forearm block	Doo Palmok Makgi	두 팔목 막기	One forearm blocks while the other reinforces it.	Yul-Gok 3710 patterns
X-fist pressing block	Kyocha Joomuk Noollo Makgi	교차 주먹 눌러 막기	Crossed fists press down to stop a low attack.	Toi-Gye 77 patterns
X-fist rising block	Kyocha Joomuk Chookyo Makgi	교차 주먹 추켜 막기	Crossed fists rise to stop a downward attack.	Joong-Gun 131 pattern
X-knife-hand checking block	Kyocha Sonkal Momchau Makgi	교차 손칼 멈추어 막기	Crossed knife-hands stop (check) an incoming attack.	Choong-Moo 273 patterns
Palm hooking block	Sonbadak Golcho Makgi	손바닥 걸쳐 막기	The palm hooks the attacking arm.	Yul-Gok 156 patterns
Palm pushing block	Sonbadak Miro Makgi	손바닥 밀어 막기	The palm pushes the attack aside.	Hwa-Rang 13 patterns
Palm upward block	Sonbadak Ollyo Makgi	손바닥 올려 막기	The palm rises to deflect an attack upward.	Joong-Gun 35 patterns
Double arc-hand block	Doo Bandalson Makgi	두 반달손 막기	Both arc-hands block high together.	Ge-Baek 74 patterns
Twin knife-hand block	Sang Sonkal Makgi	쌍 손칼 막기	Like the twin forearm block, performed with both knife-hands.	Yul-Gok 283 patterns
Waist block	Hori Makgi	허리 막기	The forearm protects the waist against an attack.	Yon-Gae 381 pattern
Parallel block	Narani Makgi	나란히 막기	Both forearms block together, held parallel.	Juche 11 pattern
Downward block	Naeryo Makgi	내려 막기	The arm or hand moves downward to block.	Eui-Am 53 patterns
Side block	Yop Makgi	옆 막기	The blocking forearm meets the attack at the side of the body.	Saju Makgi 211 patterns
U-shape grasp	Digutja Japgi	디귿자 잡기	Both hands form a U shape to seize the opponent.	Po-Eun 141 pattern

Basic blocks

Blocks · Makgi	Korean	한글	First in pattern
Low block	Najunde Makgi	낮은데 막기	Saju Jirugi 214 patterns
Inner forearm block	An Palmok Makgi	안팔목 막기	Saju Makgi 24 patterns
Outer forearm block	Bakat Palmok Makgi	바깥팔목 막기	Do-San 17 patterns
Rising block	Chookyo Makgi	추켜 막기	Dan-Gun 1415 patterns
Knife-hand guarding block	Sonkal Daebi Makgi	손칼 대비 막기	Dan-Gun 118 patterns
Wedging block	Hechyo Makgi	헤쳐 막기	Do-San 135 patterns
Twin forearm block	Sang Palmok Makgi	쌍팔목 막기	Dan-Gun 94 patterns
Pressing block	Noollo Makgi	눌러 막기	Joong-Gun 2713 patterns