kung fu
Shaolin fighting art
Kung fu is a Chinese martial art emphasizing strikes, kicks, and fluid movement.
The term covers many distinct styles and schools.
In broader use, kung fu can mean any skill achieved through dedicated practice—the original Chinese sense: Her kung fu with spreadsheets is unmatched.
The martial arts meaning became dominant in English through Hong Kong action films.
Developing abilities through practice
- practiceRepeated work toward mastery
- sifuMartial arts master title
- dedicationWholehearted loyalty to purpose
- perseveranceSustained resolve despite obstacles
focus · repetition · drill · regimen · mastery · patience · commitment · self-control
Chinese martial temple tradition
- Wing ChunChinese close-combat discipline
- wushuChinese martial arts collectively
- CraneHereditary family designation
- TigerFierce personal name
Snake · Southern · internal · external · hard · soft · traditional · lineage
- Jet LiChinese action film star
- Enter the Dragon1973 martial arts classic
- Crouching TigerLarge cat in ambush stance
- wuxiaChinese martial arts fiction
Jackie Chan · choreography · fight scenes · action · stunts · swordplay · Hong Kong cinema · Ip Man
Forceful impact or stoppage
- kickFoot-delivered strike
- punchStrike with fist
- blockSolid mass, or impede
- sparringPractice combat training
self-defense · counterattack · grapple · takedown · clinch · sweep · stance · footwork
Vital life energy
- chiGreek letter or energy
- yin-yangChinese duality symbol
- zenMeditative calm
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
harmony · meditation · mindfulness · inner peace · self-cultivation · dao · discipline · respect
State of flowing freely
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
- agilityQuickness and ease
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
speed · power · flexibility · coordination · poise · athleticism · acrobatics · leaps
training
Developing abilities through practice
- practiceRepeated work toward mastery
- sifuMartial arts master title
- dedicationWholehearted loyalty to purpose
perseverance · focus · repetition · drill · regimen · mastery · patience · commitment · self-control · rigor
Shaolin
Chinese martial temple tradition
- Wing ChunChinese close-combat discipline
- wushuChinese martial arts collectively
- CraneHereditary family designation
Tiger · Snake · Southern · internal · external · hard · soft · traditional · lineage
Bruce Lee
- Jet LiChinese action film star
- Enter the Dragon1973 martial arts classic
- Crouching TigerLarge cat in ambush stance
Jackie Chan · wuxia · choreography · fight scenes · action · stunts · swordplay · Hong Kong cinema · Ip Man · Kill Bill
strike
Forceful impact or stoppage
sparring · self-defense · counterattack · grapple · takedown · clinch · sweep · stance · footwork · forms
qi
Vital life energy
balance · harmony · meditation · mindfulness · inner peace · self-cultivation · dao · discipline · respect · humility
fluidity
State of flowing freely
precision · speed · power · flexibility · coordination · poise · athleticism · acrobatics · leaps · stances
- Chinese cultureConfucianism, Chinese calligraphy, Beijing, Chinese New Year, Daoism
- East AsiaChina, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Korea
- East Asian Culturechopsticks, yin and yang, tea ceremony, origami, qi
- fightingboxing, kickboxing, MMA, judo, karate
- kung fuwushu, Shaolin, Shaolin Temple, tai chi, taijiquan
- martial artskarate, taekwondo, judo, aikido, kickboxing
kung fukarate
Japanese unarmed combat discipline
taekwondo · judo · Brazilian jiu-jitsu · capoeira · wrestling
kung fuincompetence
Lack of required skill
clumsiness · ineptitude · amateurishness · bungling · fumbling
kung fubrawling
Fighting noisily in public
street fighting · gunfighting · swordsmanship · fencing · archery