Wing Chun terms
Encyclopedia
These are terms used in the Chinese martial art Wing Chun. Note that Wing Chun
terms are originally colloquial Cantonese (or even slang spoken in Foshan
). The meaning might therefore be difficult to trace.
Some of those terms are used in Jeet Kune Do
, sometimes with a different meaning.
Wing Chun
Wing Chun , also romanised as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun, ; ; is a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling while specializing in close-range combat.The alternative characters 永春 "eternal spring" are also...
terms are originally colloquial Cantonese (or even slang spoken in Foshan
Foshan
Foshan is a city in central Guangdong province in southern China. The prefectural area under the city's jurisdiction over an area of about 3,840 km² and a population of 5.4 million of which 1.1 million reside in the city proper ....
). The meaning might therefore be difficult to trace.
Some of those terms are used in Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do is a hybrid martial arts system and life philosophy founded by martial artist Bruce Lee with direct, non classical and straightforward movements. Due to the way his style works they believe in minimal movement with maximum effect and extreme speed. The system works on the use of...
, sometimes with a different meaning.
Wing Chun
| As normally seen in English (from Cantonese) |
Simp. Simplified Chinese character Simplified Chinese characters are standardized Chinese characters prescribed in the Xiandai Hanyu Tongyong Zibiao for use in Mainland China. Along with traditional Chinese characters, it is one of many standard character sets of the contemporary Chinese written language... char. |
Trad. Traditional Chinese character Traditional Chinese characters refers to Chinese characters in any character set which does not contain newly created characters or character substitutions performed after 1946. It most commonly refers to characters in the standardized character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong, or in the Kangxi... char. |
Cantonese (Yale transcription) |
Mandarin (Pinyin transcription) |
Meaning(s) (in English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wing Wing Chun Wing Chun , also romanised as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun, ; ; is a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling while specializing in close-range combat.The alternative characters 永春 "eternal spring" are also... |
咏 | 詠 | Wing2 | yǒng | song; poem |
| Chun Wing Chun Wing Chun , also romanised as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun, ; ; is a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling while specializing in close-range combat.The alternative characters 永春 "eternal spring" are also... |
春 | (as simp.) | Cheun1 | chūn | spring (time); joyful; youthful; love; lust; life |
| Kuen Wing Chun Wing Chun , also romanised as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun, ; ; is a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling while specializing in close-range combat.The alternative characters 永春 "eternal spring" are also... |
拳 | (as simp.) | kyun4 | quán | fist |
Forms
| As normally seen in English (from Cantonese) |
Simp. Simplified Chinese character Simplified Chinese characters are standardized Chinese characters prescribed in the Xiandai Hanyu Tongyong Zibiao for use in Mainland China. Along with traditional Chinese characters, it is one of many standard character sets of the contemporary Chinese written language... char. |
Trad. Traditional Chinese character Traditional Chinese characters refers to Chinese characters in any character set which does not contain newly created characters or character substitutions performed after 1946. It most commonly refers to characters in the standardized character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong, or in the Kangxi... char. |
Cantonese (Yale transcription) |
Mandarin (Pinyin transcription) |
Meaning(s) (in English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Siu Lim Tao Wing Chun Wing Chun , also romanised as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun, ; ; is a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling while specializing in close-range combat.The alternative characters 永春 "eternal spring" are also... |
小念头 | 小念頭 | siu2 lim6 tau4 | xiǎo niàn tou | little idea |
| Chum Kiu Wing Chun Wing Chun , also romanised as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun, ; ; is a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling while specializing in close-range combat.The alternative characters 永春 "eternal spring" are also... |
寻桥 | 尋橋 | cham4 kiu4 | xún qiáo | seeking the bridge |
| Biu Jee Wing Chun Wing Chun , also romanised as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun, ; ; is a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling while specializing in close-range combat.The alternative characters 永春 "eternal spring" are also... |
镖指 | 鏢指 | biu1 ji2 | biāo zhǐ | darting fingers |
| Muk Yan Jong Wing Chun Wing Chun , also romanised as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun, ; ; is a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling while specializing in close-range combat.The alternative characters 永春 "eternal spring" are also... |
木人桩 | 木人樁 | muk6 yan4 jong1 | mù rén zhuāng | wooden dummy |
| Luk Dim Boon Gwun Wing Chun Wing Chun , also romanised as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun, ; ; is a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling while specializing in close-range combat.The alternative characters 永春 "eternal spring" are also... |
六点半棍 | 六點半棍 | liù diǎn bàn gùn | six and a half point pole | |
| Bat Jam Dou Wing Chun Wing Chun , also romanised as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun, ; ; is a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling while specializing in close-range combat.The alternative characters 永春 "eternal spring" are also... |
八斩刀 | 八斬刀 | bā zhǎn dāo | eight slashing knives |
Family Lineage Titles or Terms
| As normally seen in English (from Cantonese) |
Simp. Simplified Chinese character Simplified Chinese characters are standardized Chinese characters prescribed in the Xiandai Hanyu Tongyong Zibiao for use in Mainland China. Along with traditional Chinese characters, it is one of many standard character sets of the contemporary Chinese written language... char. |
Trad. Traditional Chinese character Traditional Chinese characters refers to Chinese characters in any character set which does not contain newly created characters or character substitutions performed after 1946. It most commonly refers to characters in the standardized character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong, or in the Kangxi... char. |
Cantonese (Yale transcription) |
Mandarin (Pinyin transcription) |
Meaning(s) (in English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sidai | 师弟 | 師弟 | si1 dai6 | shī dì | junior male classmate |
| Simui | 师妹 | 師妹 | si1 mui6 | shī mèi | junior female classmate |
| Sihing | 师兄 | 師兄 | si1 hing1 | shī xiōng | senior male classmate |
| Sije | 师姐 | 師姐 | si1 je2 | shī jiě | senior female classmate |
| Sifu Sifu Shifu is the identical pronunciation of two Chinese terms for a master. The character 師 means “teacher”. The meaning of 傅 is “tutor”, and of 父, “father”. Both characters are read fu with the same tones in Cantonese and Mandarin, creating some ambiguity... |
师父 | 師父 | si1 fu6 | shī fù | master |
| Sisuk | 师叔 | 師叔 | si1 suk1 | shī shū | master's junior male or female classmate |
| Sibak | 师伯 | 師伯 | si1 baak3 | shī bó | master's senior male or female classmate |
| Sigung | 师公 | 師公 | si1 gung1 | shī gōng | master's master |
| Sitaigung | 师太公 | 師太公 | si1 taai3 gung1 | shī tài gōng | master's master's master |
| Sijo Sijo Sijo is a Korean poetic form. Bucolic, metaphysical and cosmological themes are often explored. The three lines average 14-16 syllables, for a total of 44-46: theme ; elaboration ; counter-theme and completion [Ibid., Rutt, pp. 10 ff]... |
师祖 | 師祖 | si1 jou2 | shī zǔ | master's master's master's master |
Limb names
| As normally seen in English (from Cantonese) |
Simp. Simplified Chinese character Simplified Chinese characters are standardized Chinese characters prescribed in the Xiandai Hanyu Tongyong Zibiao for use in Mainland China. Along with traditional Chinese characters, it is one of many standard character sets of the contemporary Chinese written language... char. |
Trad. Traditional Chinese character Traditional Chinese characters refers to Chinese characters in any character set which does not contain newly created characters or character substitutions performed after 1946. It most commonly refers to characters in the standardized character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong, or in the Kangxi... char. |
Cantonese (Yale transcription) |
Mandarin (Pinyin transcription) |
Meaning(s) (in English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sao | 手 | (as simp.) | sau2 | shǒu | hand |
| kuen | 拳 | (as simp.) | kyun4 | quán | fist |
| gerk | 脚 | 腳 | geuk3 | jiǎo | foot; leg |
Limb position names
| As normally seen in English (from Cantonese) |
Simp. Simplified Chinese character Simplified Chinese characters are standardized Chinese characters prescribed in the Xiandai Hanyu Tongyong Zibiao for use in Mainland China. Along with traditional Chinese characters, it is one of many standard character sets of the contemporary Chinese written language... char. |
Trad. Traditional Chinese character Traditional Chinese characters refers to Chinese characters in any character set which does not contain newly created characters or character substitutions performed after 1946. It most commonly refers to characters in the standardized character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong, or in the Kangxi... char. |
Cantonese (Yale transcription) |
Mandarin (Pinyin transcription) |
Meaning(s) (in English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bong sau | 膀手 | (as simp.) | bong2 sau2 | bǎng shǒu | wing arm |
| fook sau | 伏手 | (as simp.) | fuk6 sau2 | fú shǒu | controlling hand |
| man sau | 问手 | 問手 | man6 sau2 | wèn shǒu | seeking hand |
| wu sau | 护手 | 護手 | wu6 sau2 | hù shǒu | protecting hand |
| tan sau | 摊手 | 攤手 | taan1 sau2 | tān shǒu | dispersing hand |
| kau sau | 扣手 | 扣手 | kau1 sau2 | kòu shǒu | detaining hand |
Limb movement names
| As normally seen in English (from Cantonese) |
Simp. Simplified Chinese character Simplified Chinese characters are standardized Chinese characters prescribed in the Xiandai Hanyu Tongyong Zibiao for use in Mainland China. Along with traditional Chinese characters, it is one of many standard character sets of the contemporary Chinese written language... char. |
Trad. Traditional Chinese character Traditional Chinese characters refers to Chinese characters in any character set which does not contain newly created characters or character substitutions performed after 1946. It most commonly refers to characters in the standardized character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong, or in the Kangxi... char. |
Cantonese (Yale transcription) |
Mandarin (Pinyin transcription) |
Meaning(s) (in English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| jam sau | 沉手 | (as simp.) | cham4 sau2 | chén shǒu | sinking hand |
| gaun sau | 耕手 | (as simp.) | gang1 sau2 | gēng shǒu | cultivating arm |
| jut sau | 窒手 | (as simp.) | jat6 sau2 | zhì shǒu | choking hand |
| huen sau | 圈手 | (as simp.) | huen4 sau2 | quán shǒu | circling hand |
| lap sau | 拉手 | (as simp.) | laap6 sau2 | lā shǒu | pulling hand |
| pak sau | 拍手 | (as simp.) | paak3 sau2 | pāi shǒu | slapping hand |
| tok sau | 托手 | (as simp.) | tok3 sau2 | tuō shǒu | lifting hand |
| lan sau | 拦手 | 攔手 | laan4 sau2 | lán shǒu | barring arm |
| tie sau | 提手 | (as simp.) | tai4 sau2 | tí shǒu | uplifting hand |
| jip sau | 接手 | (as simp.) | jip3 sau2 | jiē shǒu | receiving hand |
| gum sau | 揿手 | 撳手 | gam6 sau2 | qìn shǒu | pressing hand |
| biu sau | 镖手 | 鏢手 | biu1 sau2 | biāo shǒu | darting hand |
Drills
| As normally seen in English (from Cantonese) |
Simp. Simplified Chinese character Simplified Chinese characters are standardized Chinese characters prescribed in the Xiandai Hanyu Tongyong Zibiao for use in Mainland China. Along with traditional Chinese characters, it is one of many standard character sets of the contemporary Chinese written language... char. |
Trad. Traditional Chinese character Traditional Chinese characters refers to Chinese characters in any character set which does not contain newly created characters or character substitutions performed after 1946. It most commonly refers to characters in the standardized character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong, or in the Kangxi... char. |
Cantonese (Yale transcription) |
Mandarin (Pinyin transcription) |
Meaning(s) (in English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| dan chi sau | 单黐手 | 單黐手 | daan1 chi1 sau2 | dān chī shǒu | single sticky hand |
| luk sau | 双黐手 | 雙黐手 | seong1 chi1 sau2 | shuāng chī shǒu | double sticky hands |
| chi gerk | 黐脚 | (as simp.) | chi1 geuk3 | chī jiǎo | sticky feet |