Osu!

[Gyakuto]

A whole book on this subject?

 

[isshinryuronin]

It's a word we can do without! It's generally a slang term. There are other words to properly convey "osu's" perceived various meanings that avoid using it improperly/gratuitously. I've never used it, nor ever heard any knowledgeable karateka use it and have gotten along just fine. I think the term has mostly just been hijacked by Westerners to feel more Oriental.

 

[Gyakuto]

It’s uncouth

 

[Same Trick]

onegaishimasu

 

[Fungus]

It's a word we can do without! It's generally a slang term. There are other words to properly convey "osu's" perceived various meanings that avoid using it improperly/gratuitously. I've never used it, nor ever heard any knowledgeable karateka use it and have gotten along just fine. I think the term has mostly just been hijacked by Westerners to feel more Oriental.

In kyokushin this is the formal universal word we use to positively confirm or greet each other or instructors, in a way that express respect, dedication and endurance, it's not slang for something else, it is part of kyokushin tradition. (how one feels about different traditions in general is a separate topic though)

I am not aware that this is a universal word in all karate styles though, I always thought it was mainly tied to kyokushin or perhaps related styles?

But write a whole book about it?

 

[Fungus]

A whole book on this subject?

a bit over the top.

 

[Prince_Alarming]

In kyokushin this is the formal universal word we use to positively confirm or greet each other or instructors, in a way that express respect, dedication and endurance, it's not slang for something else, it is part of kyokushin tradition. (how one feels about different traditions in general is a separate topic though)

I am not aware that this is a universal word in all karate styles though, I always thought it was mainly tied to kyokushin or perhaps related styles?

But write a whole book about it?

No, it's used in other styles of karate as well. At least it used to be. When I was a teenager every 5 minutes you'd hear somebody going OSU, these days it's going out of fashion. Largely because it was widely abused as a slang word to mean everything from 'that's cool' to 'hello'.

 

[Gyakuto]

In kyokushin this is the formal universal word we use to positively confirm or greet each other or instructors, in a way that express respect, dedication and endurance, it's not slang for something else, it is part of kyokushin tradition. (how one feels about different traditions in general is a separate topic though)

It’s like comendeering the expression “HELL YEAH!” and claiming the above! It’s a display of machismo…a grunt and as I’ve suggested uncouth, especially if used outside the dojo.

Just say “Yes” (Hai) “I gratefully understand/oh I see, thank you” (naruhodo), “Thank you” (arigatō or better still the classical Japanese ‘katajikanai’ if you want to be poncy )

I am not aware that this is a universal word in all karate styles though, I always thought it was mainly tied to kyokushin or perhaps related styles?

It’s pretty ubiquitous in some Karate styles although I never heard it used in Wado Ryu dojo.

But write a whole book about it?

I’ve actually ordered that book to try and understand it’s use and possible origins.