The three scoring levels in WKF kumite: yuko (1) a punch, waza-ari (2) a body kick, ippon (3) a head kick or a throw with a follow-up. It only counts with control, distance and timing.
The scoring levels explain why a beginner's hardest strikes often score nothing in kumite: a head kick is worth three times a punch, and none of the three levels counts without control, distance and timing. That is exactly where newcomers come unstuck — they chase force and contact where the rules reward precision and command. Uncontrolled contact is not a higher score, it is a penalty, and for good reason: over half of all karate injuries hit the head. What gets missed: this scale governs kumite, not karate as a whole — kata is judged by completely different criteria, and kihon has no points at all. Anyone starting partner contact needs fist, shin and foot guards plus a mouthguard.