In karate (WKF rules), how many points are awarded for an 'Ippon'?

Under the rules of the World Karate Federation (WKF), an "Ippon" is the highest single score in kumite (sparring) and is worth 3 points.

Scoring in WKF kumite:

• Ippon (3 points): awarded for a high kick to the head, face or neck (jodan kick), or for any scoring technique delivered on an opponent who has been thrown or swept to the ground.
• Waza-ari (2 points): awarded for a kick to the body (chudan kick).
• Yuko (1 point): awarded for a punch (tsuki) or strike (uchi) to the head or body.
• A technique scores only if it shows good form, sporting attitude, vigorous application, awareness (zanshin), good timing and correct distance.
• A bout is won by the fighter who has a clear lead of 8 points, or who has more points at the end of the bout (3 minutes for senior men and women).

Important karate terms:

• Kumite: sparring.
• Kata: a set sequence of movements performed alone.

Karate in brief:

• Karate developed on the island of Okinawa, Japan, from Chinese and local fighting arts.
• It made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games, but it was not included in Paris 2024 or Los Angeles 2028.
• Karate is part of the Asian Games.

Compare with judo:

In judo, an "Ippon" is a full point that ends the match immediately, while a "Waza-ari" is a half point.

Why not the other options?

• ✗1 point is a Yuko (punch).
• ✗2 points is a Waza-ari (body kick).
• ✗5 points is not a score in WKF karate.