Waza-ari is a half-point score in Kyokushin karate. It is awarded for an effective technique that falls short of ippon.

Waza-ari can be awarded:
— for a powerful strike;
— for temporarily breaking an opponent’s control;
— for an effective attack.

Two waza-ari automatically combine into an ippon and result in victory.

The waza-ari and ippon scoring system helps judges evaluate the effectiveness of technique in a match.

In Kyokushin, waza-ari is often awarded for accurate head kicks or powerful body attacks.

For fighters, earning a waza-ari is an important step toward winning a match.