The words you hear in kung fu class

kung fu功夫

Skill gained through long, hard effort. It first meant any such skill, even making tea, not only fighting; in English it now means Chinese martial arts in general. Some UK clubs write gung fu or gong fu; Mandarin gōngfu.

wushu武術

Martial arts: the Chinese word for the whole field. In English it now usually means the modern sport of taolu and sanda; the IWUF uses it for every form of Chinese martial art. Mandarin wǔshù.

traditional wushu

The IWUF's name for the traditional styles, "commonly referred to as kungfu". The IWUF calls it the root of sport wushu.

guoshu國術

National art: the official name chosen in 1928, when the Central Guoshu Institute opened in Nanjing. Also spelled kuoshu. The People's Republic went back to wushu in the early 1950s.

wu武

The first character of wushu. It is often explained as stop plus spear, which the IWUF and some UK schools read as "to stop conflict".

kuen拳

Fist. Also used in the names of styles and forms, as in Hung Kuen and Far Kuen. Mandarin quán.

gar家

Family, as in Hung Gar and Lau Gar, the Hung and Lau families. Also written ga; Mandarin jiā.

pai派

School, as in the name of a style. A sect is mun or men, 門.

kwoon

The training hall or school: in WCKUK's glossary, a place where training takes place.

sau手

Hand, in the names of techniques such as tan sau and chi sau. Mandarin shǒu.

five animals

Tiger, crane, snake, leopard and dragon: the southern animals that many styles copy. Hung Gar has a Five Animals form.

internal and external

External styles train strength, speed and conditioning. Internal styles, tai chi, xingyiquan and baguazhang, stress relaxation, breathing and whole body coordination.

nanquan南拳

Southern fist: the southern family of styles, with low stances, few kicks and strong hand techniques, and a wushu event.

changquan長拳

Long fist: the northern family of long, extended movements, kicks and jumps, and the main event of modern wushu.

Shaolin少林

The monastery on Mount Song in Henan, built in 495, and the many styles that claim roots there. Cantonese Siu Lam or Sil Lum. A club name with Shaolin in it says nothing certain about its line.

Wing Chun詠春

Singing spring: a southern, close range style, the most common name among UK kung fu clubs. The spelling Ving Tsun usually marks Ip Man's line as the VTAA uses it, and Wing Tsun Leung Ting's line. Mandarin Yǒng Chūn.

Hung Gar洪家拳

Fist of the Hung family, also Hung Ga or Hung Kuen: a southern style of low stances, bridge hands and the tiger claw, also called Tiger Crane boxing. Mandarin Hóngjiāquán.

Lau Gar刘家

Lau Gar Kuen, "the Lau family's fist methods" in the British Kung Fu Association's own translation: a southern style brought to Britain from Hong Kong in 1961.

Choy Li Fut蔡李佛

A southern style founded in 1836 by Chan Heung and named after three family styles he learned: Choy Gar, Li Gar and Fut Gar. Also Choy Lee Fut; Mandarin Cài Lǐ Fó.

Mok Gar莫家拳

One of the five southern family styles of legend, credited to the monk Mok Da Si.

White Crane白鶴拳

White Crane Boxing from Fujian: a half hard, half soft southern style, mainly short range, with strikes that copy a crane's beak. Not related to Tibetan White Crane.

Bak Hok Pai白鶴派

Tibetan White Crane: a separate family that shares the name but is not related to Fujian White Crane. Lama Pai and Hop Gar are branches of it.

Bei Shaolin北少林

Northern Shaolin; Cantonese Bak Siu Lam. Linked above all with Gu Ruzhang, with 10 classical forms.

tanglangquan螳螂拳

Praying mantis fist: Northern Praying Mantis, from Shandong, with six harmony, eight step and seven star branches. Southern Praying Mantis is a different, unrelated style.

taijiquan太極拳

Tai chi, supreme ultimate boxing: one of the internal arts, with five family styles, Chen, Yang, Wu Hao, Wu and Sun. "Tai chi" is an English shortening.

xingyiquan

One of the three internal arts, with tai chi and baguazhang.

baguazhang

One of the three internal arts. It trains by walking in a circle.

Jeet Kune Do截拳道

Bruce Lee's own approach, not a Chinese style in the traditional sense. Some UK Wing Chun clubs teach it too.

five family styles

In legend, the five southern styles founded by students of the monk Jee Sin: Hung Gar, Lau Gar, Choy Gar, Lei Gar and Mok Gar.

Five Elders

In legend, the five who escaped the burning of the Southern Shaolin Temple: Jee Sin, Ng Mui, Bak Mei, Fung Dou Dak and Miu Hin.

lion dance

A traditional dance, in northern and southern forms, taught by many kung fu clubs. Liverpool Hung Gar has danced it at Liverpool's Chinese New Year for over 40 years.

Yijin Jing

A qigong text written in 1624 and falsely credited to Bodhidharma: historians say it is the first place the Bodhidharma story appears.

Jixiao Xinshu

General Qi Jiguang's 16th century military manual, with Shaolin staff techniques and 32 verses of empty hand techniques.

Jing Wu精武

The Jing Wu, or Chin Woo, Athletic Association, founded in Shanghai in 1910, with branches in overseas Chinese communities.

IWUF

International Wushu Federation: the world body for wushu, founded on 3 October 1990 and recognised by the International Olympic Committee in 2002. Its member for Great Britain is the BCCMA.

WKFE

Wushu Kungfu Federation of Europe: founded in Zurich on 26 June 2023 and recognised by the IWUF as Europe's continental federation on 21 September 2023.

BCCMA

British Council for Chinese Martial Arts: recognised by the UK sports councils as the governing body for all Chinese martial arts. It insures, checks coaches and runs national competitions, but publishes no student syllabus or grading scheme; each style association sets its own.

Chinese Wushu Association

China's national wushu body, founded in 1958. It standardised modern wushu and runs the Duanwei grades.

BKFA

British Kung Fu Association: a Lau Gar association set up in 1973, not a body for all kung fu.

VTAA

Ving Tsun Athletic Association, Hong Kong, founded by Ip Man and his students in 1967; another account says 1968.

eighteen arms

The traditional phrase for the weapons of Chinese styles; Mandarin shíbā bān bīngqì.

gun棍

Staff, which the IWUF calls the father of all weapons. Cantonese gwan.

qiang枪

Spear, which the IWUF calls the king of weapons.

dao刀

Broadsword: single edged and curved.

jian劍

Straight sword, double edged.

shan

Fan, used in tai chi; taijishan is the tai chi fan event.

tiger fork

A long forked weapon taught in Lau Gar and Hung Gar schools.

Nine-Dragon Trident

Choy Li Fut's signature weapon, credited to its founder Chan Heung.

sifu師父

Teacher: a respectful title with the sense of a father figure, used for men and women. A title, not a rank. Also written 師傅; Mandarin shīfu.

sigung師公

Your teacher's own teacher. Mandarin shīgōng.

sihing師兄

A senior male classmate, an older brother by when he joined, not by age. Mandarin shīxiōng.

sije師姐

A senior female classmate. Mandarin shījiě.

sidai師弟

A junior male classmate. Mandarin shīdì.

simui師妹

A junior female classmate. Mandarin shīmèi.

sibak師伯

Your teacher's senior classmate, an uncle in the school family. Mandarin shībó.

sisuk師叔

Your teacher's junior classmate. Mandarin shīshū.

sijo師祖

The founder of the line; for Wing Chun, usually Yim Wing-chun. Mandarin shīzǔ.

gowlin教練

Instructor or coach. Mandarin jiàoliàn.

bai si拜師

Bowing to the teacher: the ceremony in which a student is accepted as a formal disciple. A closer bond, not a grade. Mandarin bài shī.

palm and fist salute

The kung fu and wushu salute: the right fist pressed into the open left palm at chest height, 20 to 30 cm in front of the body. Used to greet a teacher, a partner, the judges or an opponent.

wude武德

Martial virtue: the code of conduct expected of students. Cantonese mou dak.

ma bu馬步

Horse stance: feet wide apart, knees bent as if sitting on a horse. Southern UK schools say sei ping ma.

sei ping ma

Horse stance, as southern UK schools say it. Hung Gar uses a deep, wide horse.

gong bu弓步

Bow stance: front knee bent, back leg straight, like a drawn bow.

xu bu虚步

Empty stance, or cat stance: weight on the back leg, the front foot resting lightly.

pu bu仆步

Crouching stance: one leg bent in a deep squat, the other straight out to the side.

xie bu歇步

Resting stance: legs crossed and bent low, as if about to sit.

yee gee kim yeung ma

Wing Chun's training stance: narrow and upright, knees turned slightly in. The base of the first form.

juen ma

Turning stance: turning the whole body on the spot, used in Wing Chun's second form.

jin bo

Arrow step, a Wing Chun step forward.

jui ma

Pursuit step, a Wing Chun step.

mui fa bo

Plum blossom step, a Wing Chun step.

tan sau攤手

Spreading, palm up hand, one of Wing Chun's core hand positions. Mandarin tān shǒu.

bong sau膀手

Wing arm. Mandarin bǎng shǒu.

fook sau伏手

Taming or subduing hand. Mandarin fú shǒu.

wu sau護手

Protecting hand. Mandarin hù shǒu.

pak sau拍手

Slapping hand. Mandarin pāi shǒu.

lap sau拉手

Pulling hand. Mandarin lā shǒu.

kiu sau

Bridge hand: the forearm used to make and keep contact with an opponent's arm. Hung Gar is known for strong bridge hands.

biu sau鏢手

Darting hand. Mandarin biāo shǒu.

lin wan kuen

Chain punch: straight punches one after another, among the first things a Wing Chun beginner learns.

zhang掌

Palm: the open hand, one of the three basic hand shapes of modern wushu with the fist and the hook.

gou shou勾手

Hook hand: fingertips pinched together and the wrist bent, the third basic hand shape of modern wushu.

tiger claw

An animal hand shape, a mark of Hung Gar.

crane's beak

An animal hand shape that copies a crane's beak, in White Crane and in Hung Gar's Tiger and Crane form.

mantis hook

Northern Praying Mantis's hand, using one to three fingers to divert and grab.

whipping

Choy Li Fut's way of striking: the upper body twists to drive long, swinging arm strikes.

gerk腳

Foot, leg or kick, as in chi gerk. Mandarin jiǎo.

butterfly kick

One of the acrobatic jumping and spinning kicks of long fist and modern wushu.

whirlwind kick

Another acrobatic jumping, spinning kick of long fist and modern wushu.

lotus kick

A jumping spinning kick with a slap of the foot, from long fist.

shuai jiao摔跤

Chinese wrestling, with a BCCMA national championship of its own.

sweep

Bringing an opponent down by hooking or striking the legs; allowed in sanda and in BCCMA light sanda.

chin na

Joint locks, taught by some UK schools as part of self-defence or on special courses.

taolu套路

A form or routine: a set sequence of movements against imaginary opponents. In wushu, a competition routine. UK southern schools often say sets.

duilian對練

A choreographed fight for two or more people, with or without weapons; a training method and a wushu event.

chi sau黐手

Sticky hands: Wing Chun's partner drill. Forearms stay in contact while partners roll, press and strike, learning to feel each other's movement. Mandarin chī shǒu.

daan chi sau單黐手

Single sticky hands, the beginners' version of chi sau.

lok sau碌手

Rolling hands, the basic double sticky hands drill; also called poon sau.

chi gerk黐腳

Sticky legs, the leg version of chi sau. Mandarin chī jiǎo.

muk yan jong木人樁

The wooden dummy: a wooden post with arms and a leg. Wing Chun has a form for it. Mandarin mù rén zhuāng.

tui shou

Push hands: tai chi's partner drill, in which partners keep contact and try to unbalance each other, learning to yield to force. Also a competition.

qigong

Breathing and movement exercises taught alongside kung fu in many UK clubs. Also written chi kung.

Ba Duan Jin

Eight pieces of brocade: a qigong set taught to beginners at Shaolin Temple UK.

Siu Nim Tau小念頭

Little idea: Wing Chun's first form, done standing still, and practised for life. Also Siu Lim Tao. Mandarin Xiǎo Niàn Tóu.

Chum Kiu尋橋

Seeking the bridge: Wing Chun's second form, with turning, stepping, kicks and elbows. Mandarin Xún Qiáo.

Biu Ji鏢指

Darting fingers: Wing Chun's third, advanced form. Mandarin Biāo Zhǐ.

luk dim boon gwan六點半棍

Six and a half point pole: Wing Chun's long pole form.

baat jaam dou八斬刀

Eight cutting knives: Wing Chun's pair of butterfly swords, usually the last form taught. Mandarin bā zhǎn dāo.

Gung Gee Fok Fu Kuen

Taming the Tiger: Hung Gar's long form of basic techniques, which builds stamina.

Fu Hok Seung Ying Kuen

Tiger and Crane: the Hung Gar form that builds on Taming the Tiger. The version handed down in his lineages is credited to Wong Fei-hung.

Tit Sin Kuen鐵線拳

Iron Wire: a Hung Gar form of breathing with dynamic tension, traditionally sometimes done with iron rings on the wrists.

Far Kuen花拳

A Lau Gar set on the British Kung Fu Association's brown sash course.

San Zhan

Three battles: the foundation form of many Fujian styles, also written San Chian; Sanchin in karate.

Tan Tui

Springing legs: an introductory northern routine, taught in Northern Shaolin among others.

24 form

The 24 movement simplified tai chi form, made in 1956 from the Yang long form so that people could practise for health.

sanda散打

Full contact fighting with punches, kicks and throws, on a raised platform under IWUF rules. Formerly called sanshou.

sanshou散手

Free sparring, and the older name of sanda. Shaolin Temple UK writes san shou.

qingda

Light sanda: the BCCMA's light contact fighting, for children from 5 and adults up to 50, in full protective kit and with knockouts banned.

leitai擂台

The raised fighting platform: 8 m square and 80 cm high in IWUF sanda.

compulsory routines

Fixed wushu routines, the same for everyone worldwide. The 3rd Set is used at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

optional routine

An athlete's own wushu routine, built within the IWUF rules on difficulty and content.

jiti集體

A group routine, a wushu event.

nandu難度

Degree of difficulty: the jumps, balances and connections scored in modern wushu.

sash

A wide cloth band tied at the waist, used for grades by many kung fu schools, especially southern ones, in place of a belt.

black sash

The top grade in schools that use sashes. In the BKFA it has degrees; in Yee's Hung Ga the black sash, Jo Gow, is an assistant instructor.

Jo Gow

Yee's Hung Ga's black sash level: an assistant instructor.

duan段

A grade level in China's national wushu grading scheme.

Duanwei段位

Duan rank: the Chinese Wushu Association's scheme of nine duan. No UK Duanwei grading is confirmed.

Preliminary Grading

The UK Wing Chun Kung Fu Association's first grading, usually after 4 to 5 months.