A punch is a tool that is used by pressing it against a material. Normally a punch is used in combination with a die, and transfers the shape to the material.

A punch is called by various names, such as, punch, male die, and the words expressing a hole punching punch are needle, pin, and arrow, and a punch for drawing is also called "Bouzu" in Japanese. Recently, the names of punches are converging to punch and male die. In Japan, the Japanese Metal Press Industries Association has determined standard terminology (about a quarter century ago). At that time, the standard name was "punch". But the names that people are used to using are still surviving. Any term that is easy to get accustomed to is used frequently because of familiarity. There is no problem in using different terms as long as you have understood them and are using them.

This term is normally used in the form of a purpose word plus "punch". Examples are a blanking punch, a bending punch, a drawing punch, etc. Apart from this type of usage indicating the purpose of the punch, there is also the usage that indicates the shape of the punch such as, a straight punch, a stepped punch, etc.

The names of punches used in compound operations are difficult to understand, such as a total blanking punch, or a blanking and drawing punch, etc. In such compound operations, on the inside of a blanking punch are prepared hole punching dies, in the case of total blanking. A drawing die is prepared in the case of blanking and drawing.
We get confused as to whether to call it an outer shape blanking punch or to call it a hole punching die or a drawing die. The common expression in such cases is "compound punch". In individual expressions, such a punch can be called a "total blanking punch" or a "blanking and drawing punch", which would be easy to understand.
There are other punches with similar nuances, such as slitting or lancing punches that make a cut in the work, or "a cutting and bending punch" that bends the work, or "a hole punching and burring punch" that does exactly that.