空手道 Karate

Karate can trace its roots to the Chinese Shao Lin martial arts. The Shao Lin style migrated to Okinawa, Japan, where the authorities forbade the use of weapons. The Okinawan style of "empty-hand" fighting and self-defense soon arose, combining Shao Lin with indigenous fighting techniques. This martial art was called karate in recognition of its Chinese origin.

Karate includes two categories in Asian Games: Kata and Kumite. The kata is personal demonstration of basic techniques, and kumite is the appliance of the techniques to combat with a sparring partner.

Karate is a good form of physical conditioning, which helps develop speed and endurance as well as balance, co-ordination, and flexibility.

Karate made its Asian Games debut in Hiroshima Asian Games, 1994.

空手道起源于日本，其發展在很大程度上得益于中國的拳術。20世紀初空手道公開演武，此后在全世界迅速發展。1994年日本廣島第十二屆亞運會空手道首次成為正式比賽項目。

空手道比賽場地一般為8×8米。比賽項目有套路賽（型）和格斗賽（組手）兩種。在組手比賽中，一方有效進攻導致對手瞬時喪失戰斗能力或重心明顯移動為得分標準。