What does “oos” mean, and why do we say it?
The word is actually spelled “osu” but is pronounced “oos” (sounds like “loose”). “Osu” is a word heard quite often in the karate school. Like the Hawaiian word “aloha”, “osu” can mean a variety of things. Generally speaking, “osu” is a greeting, an acknowledgement, and a parting gesture. As a greeting, it is usually spoken with the title of the person you are greeting – for example, “Osu, Sempai” when greeting a black belt. This basically means “Hello, Sempai”. Similarly, when leaving the school you may also use it as a parting gesture – “Osu, Sempai” would then basically mean “Goodbye, Sempai”. As an acknowledgement, “osu” is used quite a bit on the mat. When an instructor gives you a training drill, corrects your technique, or even just asks you a question, you would respond with “Osu, Sensei” (or Deshi, Joshu, or Sempai – or even just a plain “osu” – depending on the person you are addressing). This basically means “I understand” or, more simply, “Yes”, and it tells the person you
