Motobu-ryū (本部流) is a karate school founded in 1922 by Motobu Chōki from Okinawa. Its official name is Nihon Denryū Heihō Motobu Kenpō, or Motobu Kenpō for short. Motobu-ryū has the characteristics of koryū karate, the martial art known as tī or tōdī, which predates the birth of modern karate, and emphasizes kumite rather than kata.

Karate (空手), also karate-do , is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts under the influence of Chinese martial arts. While modern karate is primarily a striking art that uses punches and kicks, traditional karate also employs throwing and joint locking techniques. A karate practitioner is called a karate-ka (空手家).