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Kung Fu Magazine - Martial arts terms Category: Sport and Leisure > Kung Fu Date & country: 25/04/2011, USA Words: 204

Aikido
"Way of Harmonious Energy." A Japanese internal martial art founded by Morihei Ueshiba that emphasizes the use of internal strength in controlling the opponent's momentum through techniques of locking and throwing. Strikes are not emphasized and Aikido movements do not meet force with force.

An (On)
Press, push down

An tou (On Tao)
Head spring

Ao bu (Ow Bo)
Twist stance

Ba gua (Bat Gwah)
Eight diagrams

Ba gua zhang (Pa Kua Chang)
"Eight Trigram Palm." An internal martial art which emphasizes the use of internal strength in close fighting with circular footwork and body movements. Baguazhang, or Bagua, is based on the Classic of Changes or Yi Jing (I-Ching) and is well known for its fast, evasive footwork, intricate coiling and numerous palm strikes.

Ba xian (Baht Seen)
Eight Immortals. Also Zuibaxian (Joei Baht Seen) Drunk Eight Immortals. Characters from Chinese mythology.

Bai gong bu (Ban Gung Bo)
Bow stance with heel raised

Bang shou (Bong Sao)
Wing arm block

Bi sai (Bey Choy)
Competition, contest

Bian tui (Lun Wan Toy)
Roundhouse kick

Bing qi (Bing Hey)
Weapon.

Bo (Po)
Parry, brush aside

Bo shou (Fak sao)
Sweeping arm to strike open hand

Bu Hao (Um Ho)
Not Good

Buddha
"Enlightened One." The Buddha refers to an Indian sage by the name of Siddhartha Gautama who lived from 560-480 BC. (see Buddhism below)

Cai (Chai)
Pluck, pull

Cai jiao (Chai Geuk)
Front toe kick with slap

Ce chua tui (Juk Dun Toy)
Side thrust kick

Ce shou fan (Juk Sun Fan)
Cartwheel

Ce ti tui (Juk Yee Toy)
Side kick

Chan (Sim)
Zen

Chan qiao (Chan Kiu)
Spade bridge

Chan si jing (Chan Si Bong)
Silk-Reeling Practice or "Spiral-Power Practice." A set of exercises peculiar to Chen-style Taijiquan used to develop the coordination and strength that form the basis of internal strength. See Silk Reeling.

Chen qiao (Chum Kiu)
Sinking bridge

Chen shou (Chum Sao)
Wrist pushing down low block

Chin Na
See Qin na

Chuai (Chai)
Stamp foot, kick with heel

Chuai tui (Chai Toy)
Sidekick or stomp kick

Chuan (Chuen)
Thrust

Circle Walking
A skill-development exercise, or gong, used in several internal Martial Arts but especially emphasized in Baguazhang. Like Zhan Zhuang or standing gongs, circle walking develops posture, coordination and internal strength, but has the added benefit that it helps develop movement skills at the same time.

Coiling
The spiral body movement that is characteristic of some internal martial arts. The coiling movement is the natural expression of spiral energy being transferred from the legs and waist to the upper extremities.

Confucianism
(In Mandarin Ru; Cantonese Ro)

Confucius
A Chinese sage who lived from 551-479 BC and founded Confucianism.

Da
Strike

Da (Dai)
Big

Da lu (Ta Lu)
"Big Roll Back." A two-person Taijiquan exercise used to develop the corner powers (Cai, Lieh, Zhou, and Kao). In some styles such as Chen-style Taijiquan, Dalu is considered to be a Push Hands drill, whereas in others, such as Yang-style Taijiquan, it is treated as an exercise distinct from Push Hands.

Da qiao (Dahp Kiu)
Joining bridge

Dan (Darn)
Single

Dan tian (Dan Tim)
The region just below the navel, center of qi power where deep breathing is directed. Lit. "red field" A Daoist term referring to a center of energy located approximately two inches below the navel and inside the lower abdomen. The location roughly corresponds to the center of mass of a person standing in a natural posture, hence it is often referred to as the "center of being." In the interna...

Dao (Do)
Also Tao. The way.

Diao shou (Ngow Sao)
Hooking hand

Ding bu (Ding Bo)
Also Ding Bo Mah. T-stance, empty stance or cat stance.

Duan (Dun)
Rank, grade

Duan (Tun)
Short, close

Eight Trigrams
See Ba gua. The Bagua are the basis of the Classic of Changes or Yi Jing (I Ching) Each of the trigrams has an associated martial movement, and are represented in many forms of Kung Fu including Baguazhang, Taijiquan and Praying Mantis. The movements are

Fa (Faht)
Skill, method

Fa jing (Fa Ging)
explosive energy, exert strength. The explosive release of strength or power that was previously stored. Especially emphasized in the martial aspects of Taijiquan, fajing is classified as the use of internal strength to produce a powerful strike, whip, or push.

Five Elements (In Mandarin
Wu Xing) A system in Chinese philosophy based on the observations of the interacting processes of the natural world. In the Five Element system, distinctions can be made between five dynamic processes, functions and characteristics

Fo jiao (Fut Gow)
See Buddhism

Form (In Mandarin
Taolu) A formally defined posture, movement, or set of movements used to teach coordination and technique to a student of Kung Fu. The basic postures, movements and techniques of a Martial Art are often collected into a form or group of forms for ease of practice and memorization. A group of formal movements may also be called a set. Often called by the Japanese term Kata in the U.S.A.

Fu shou (Fook Sao)
Controlling hand

Fu tou tui (Fu Tao Toy)
Axe kick

Gong (Kung or Gung)
"Work." A practice or exercise used in Kung Fu to develop a skill or "power." There are many kinds of gongs, both internal (neigong) and external (waigong), leading to many different kinds of skills or powers.

Gong bu (Gung Bo)
Also Gung Chin Mah. Bow stance

Gong fu (Kung Fu)
Also Kungfu, Gung Fu. Time, workmanship, skill, art, effort. A common generic term for any Martial Art that originated in China. "Kung Fu" is a comparatively modern term -- it has only been used in the 20th century. The classical Chinese terms for Martial Arts include wushu, wuyi, quanfa and quanshu.

Guan (Kwoon)
Literally Hall, but in martial arts, it refers specifically to the school or gym where one is instructed in the Chinese Martial Arts.

Gui chui (Kwar Choy)
Hanging punch

Gui ma (Kwai Mah)
Kneeling horse stance

Guo shu (Gok Sut)
Also Kuoshu. Another word for martial arts, often used by Taiwanese. Lit. "national art"

Hao (Ho)
Good

He shang (Wo Seung)
Monk

Heng Shan (Heng San)
The northern holy mountain of China in Hunan Province. Lit. "judge, measure mountain"

Heng Shan (Heng San)
The southern holy mountain of China in Shanxi Province. Lit. "permanent, lasting mountain"

Hua Shan (Wah San)
The western holy mountain of China in Shaanxi Province. Lit. "magnificent, China mountain"

Internal (In Mandarin
Nei) Referring to intrinsic power generated by the Qi or life force energy contained in the body. In the internal Martial Arts (Neijia), the use of Internal Strength is of utmost importance. Internal Strength is not generated through muscular action, but rather is a product of the inherent binding quality of body tissue. It is utilized in combat through the relaxed coordination of the legs and wai...

Ji (Lin)
Press, squeeze

Ji ben gong (Gei Bun Gung)
Basic training

Jia (Gar)
Family, household or clan

Jian (Jin)
Scissors

Jian chui (Jin Choy)
Arrow punch

Jiao ma (Gwok Mah)
Angled horse stance

Jin hua Shan (Gow Wah San)
A Buddhist holy mountain of China in Anhui Province. Lit. "nine magnificent mountain"

Jin Na Shou (Lop Sao)
Grabbing hand

Jing (Ging)
Literally "Essence of life" but used in Kungfu to refer to any skill, strength or ability developed as a result of, and as the goal of, practice in Kungfu. Jing is a generic term that applies equally to the strength or force developed by a skilled movement and to the skill or ability to execute a movement or postural technique correctly.

Jing shen (Jing Sun)
Vital spirit

Kai shi (Hoy Chi)
Begin

Kan (Jahm)
Chop

Kao (Kow)
Lean into

Kong fan (Hong Fahn)
Aerial

Kua (Gwa)
The inguinal basin, where the top end of the thigh-bone (the femur) attaches to the pelvic girdle. The term "kua" refers to the entire inguinal area, including both sides of the lower pelvis and the articulation where the movement of the thigh joint occurs. The proper opening, closing, and sinking of the kua is an important basic part of internal Martial Arts.

Kuai (Fai)
Fast, quick

Kun lun Shan (Qun Lun San)
A mountain range in Qinghai and Xinjaing Uygur Zizhiqu renown for martial arts

Lan shou (Lan Sao)
Barring hand

Lao Shan (Low San)
A mountain in Shandong famous for martial arts.

Lao shi (Low See)
Teacher

Lei (Loey)
Rest

Lei tai (Loey Toy)
An elevated stage for free sparring matches

Li he tui (Noy Hap Toy)
Inside crescent kick

Lian (Lin)
Practice

Lian (Lun)
Connected, continuous, linked

Lian huan quan (Lin wan kuen)
Chain punches

Lian wu zhe (Lin Mo Jeh)
Martial arts practitioner

Lie (Leet)
Split, crack, rip open

Lie shou (Lop Sao)
Grasping hand

Liu he (Lok Hop)
Six harmonies - hand, elbow, shoulder, foot, knee, hip

Lu (Yeung)
Yield

Lu shou (Luk Sao)
Rolling hand

Luo han (Law Horn)
Also Lohan. An Arhat, a Buddhist who has achieved nirvana, striving for their own salvation, in contrast to a bodhisattva who seeks to free all sentient beings

Ma bu (Mah Bo)
Also Jong Mah. Horse stance