What's the best translation for the Japanese term 'hiki-te'?
I know that 'te' means 'hand' and I've found some places where it is translated as 'hand that pulls' but I'm not quite sure if that is correct.I practise karate and I'm trying to improve my knowledge of this martial art trying to understand the concepts behind the name of the techniques.

In a formal sense, 'hiki-te' is the act of retriving the fist opposite to the one that hits close to your waist, but I've been reading and found that there's more in that move that simply retriving your fist. That's why I need the best translation.

Thanks in advance.

Question

What's the best translation for the Japanese term 'hiki-te'?
I know that 'te' means 'hand' and I've found some places where it is translated as 'hand that pulls' but I'm not quite sure if that is correct.I practise karate and I'm trying to improve my knowledge of this martial art trying to understand the concepts behind the name of the techniques.

In a formal sense, 'hiki-te' is the act of retriving the fist opposite to the one that hits close to your waist, but I've been reading and found that there's more in that move that simply retriving your fist. That's why I need the best translation.

Thanks in advance.

Answer

Hello Vicente, hello ローラ, hello icepet
  
Vicente, if your purpose is to understand better the meaning of hikite in karate field, you could have a look to the explanation giving by a Japanese professional that proposes a reflection about that particular movement and its signification (引: draw, 手: Hand). 
 
http://www.theshotokanway.com/shotokanmyth1hikite.html

Hope it will be helpful.
Have a nice day.

Answer

Hikite is the(that) act, but also the(that) hand pulled in behind.
引き手をおこなう・・・pull the hand behind
その引き手を元に戻す・・・bring forward the hand that you pulled in behind
I hope you resolved the problem.(^_^)

Answer

Of course, depending on a context.
I wonder if it would be "弾き手", a player of some instrument.

I am showing you the other exmaples below.

歌い手(utai te) - singer
話し手(hanashi te) - speaker
聞き手(kiki te) - listener

Answer

What kind of situation? I know this word "hiki-te" like the word of Iai-do.

Answer

That's depend on sentence.      http://ejje.weblio.jp/content/%E5%BC%95%E6%89%8B      In another case, "hiki-te" can uses at "demand".