What Does the Japanese word "KATA" Mean ?

The Japanese the word "Kata" can mean many things and this is because the Japanese language is limited on sounds, therefore it ends up having a lot of different words that all share the same pronunciation.

The actual meaning primarily relies upon the kanji that each one utilises and the way that the kanji appears in context.

It can mean "shoulder", it can mean a type of goods, it can mean a formal way to address someone and it can mean a way or method of doing something.

You see in Japan there is a kata for doing almost everything,

there is a kata for making tea, a kata for correctly greeting someone and even a kata when eating or writing something, the list goes on.

In context a Karate Kata, is simply a method of performing sequences of movements against imaginary opponents.