The characters/ideograms mean "one fist, certain kill." The first character means, "one," the second character means, "fist," the third character means, "invariably; certain; inevitable," the fourth character means, "kill; murder; butcher; slice off; split; diminish; reduce; spoil."
This term or phrase is used in Okinawan karate to mean one fist, blow or punch to kill. It is symbolic to the nature of training in karate during those early years on Okinawa, i.e. circa 1600's. It was during this time when weaponry were banned from the island peoples and the resulting development of karate or China hand provided a means to defend against weapon wielding adversaries be they Okinawan, Japanese or other nefarious individuals they encountered during shipping efforts or when said same anchored in the bay and stepped off onto the land, Okinawa.
Ikken hisatsu can be achieved through karada kitae or body hardening. The most known method was the makiwara, i.e. a post a karate-ka used to develop hands and feet that were like steel resulting in an ability to kick, punch or strike with "one punch, certain death."
In reality there is no known facts or historical data of a person dying from one punch or kick, etc. Usually when a person dies in a hand-to-hand conflict it is because of the fall rather than the technique. It can be said that the punch or kick caused the death by causing an adversary to fall and hit their head, etc. causing death. There are no records in any country that proves a singular punch or kick caused a death directly. Although possible, it is rare and seldom documented.
This term or phrase is more symbolic of the times and the training necessary to harden the body for the rigors of civil battle. It is meant as a goal to reach for in training and practice to preserve one's own life in hard times under the rule of samurai and others. Even the nature, culture and beliefs of Okinawan's that are honorable and mostly peaceful still requires a means of self-defense against oppressions of the times. Even if truly unattainable the one strike model of training and practice takes the mind and body well beyond the norm and into the realm of the extraordinary.
Reading the quote tells us that we must develop our techniques in the same manner. Instantaneous victory is the meaning behind the term ikken hisatsu. Look at the principles as a more in-depth explanation of what you have to focus on to achieve martial effectiveness. Then add in a smidgeon of civil self-defense by a possible third trait that did not exist in ancient Okinawa, i.e. techniques should not harm the opponent - further explained by, "True expertise must include the option to not harm the opponent. In self-defense civilly speaking this is a must unless circumstances leave absolutely no other choice." We can thus take modern karate as developing the means by which we can stop the damage while limiting the damage to an adversary to that which would be socially and legally acceptable firming up a self-defense legal defense.
In order to weed out those techniques that don't fill the bill of martial efficiency and legal and social constraints (compassion for an adversary, etc,) we must ask ourselves the following two questions per Steven J. Pearlman's book:
1. Given a reasonable level of proficiency, does the technique in question hold the potential for a smaller person to effortlessly apply it against the larger opponent?
2. Given a reasonable level of proficiency, does the technique in question hold the potential to instantaneously bring victory?
Maybe modern martial effectiveness means a new term, "Ikken teishi sonsho [一拳停止損傷]." Meaning "one fist stop damage."
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