Taijutsu 体術

(たいじゅつ, ​taijutsu): unarmed martial arts (i.e. karate); a classical form of martial art. The first character/ideogram means, "body; substance; object; reality; counter for images," and the second to, "art; technique; skill; means; trick; resources; magic."

As you already know, this term is more apropos to the meaning of modern karate than martial art, bugei, budo or any of the many other terms used. First, karate is unarmed in nature. Second, it is and is not a martial art as that is defined. Third, it is an unarmed skill comprised of techniques that make up the multiple principled-based methodologies used to achieve protection and defense against grave harm and the resulting violence up to and including death. 

Karate is not about weapons, kobudo, but weapons are often taught along side karate in karate dojo throughout the world. Taijutsu is more appropriate in use for those who practice, train and teach karate for self-protection for self-defense in these modern times because today they hold less actual combative concepts due to both social and legal laws, mandates and requirements all meant to preserve and ensure the very survival of our species. 

This classical form is more of an older traditional concept so today's modern concept would be more in line with "practical" applications. 

The other characters/ideograms used are [體術] that translate to, "the body; substance; object; reality," and "art; technique; skill; means; trick; resources; magic."