Karate begins and ends with respect. Students bow when entering and leaving the dojo, to the instructor, and to their training partner. This is not ceremony for its own sake — it marks a boundary between ordinary behaviour and focused practice.
Uniforms must be clean, nails trimmed, and jewellery removed. These are safety rules as much as discipline rules.
Students address the instructor as Sensei and respond with a clear 'Osu' or 'Hai'. Speaking during instruction is avoided so that everyone hears the correction, not just the student receiving it.
Children who absorb dojo etiquette usually carry the same courtesy into school and home. Parents notice it first at the dinner table.