Martial arts & kung fu in Chinese 武术
wǔshù
Kung fu in Chinese is 功夫 (gōng fu).
Also searched for as: kung fu in Chinese, martial arts in Chinese, tai chi, Shaolin, wushu.
From tai chi in the park to Shaolin kung fu. 15 essential martial arts & kung fu words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
The everyday word for kung fu in Chinese is 功夫 (gōng fu), while 武术 (wǔ shù) is the more formal term for martial arts as a sport and discipline. From retirees doing 太极拳 (tài jí quán, tai chi) in the park to students training at the famous 少林寺 (Shào lín Sì, Shaolin Temple), martial arts are part of daily life and popular culture. These words help you talk about training, styles and teachers.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 功夫 | gōng fu | kung fu |
| 武术 | wǔ shù | martial arts |
| 太极拳 | tài jí quán | tai chi |
| 少林寺 | Shào lín Sì | Shaolin Temple |
| 咏春 | Yǒng chūn | Wing Chun |
| 跆拳道 | tái quán dào | taekwondo |
| 空手道 | kōng shǒu dào | karate |
| 师父 | shī fu | master (martial arts) |
| 徒弟 | tú dì | apprentice; disciple |
| 练武 | liàn wǔ | to practise martial arts |
| 扎马步 | zhā mǎ bù | horse stance |
| 招式 | zhāo shì | move; technique |
| 黑带 | hēi dài | black belt |
| 防身 | fáng shēn | self-defence |
| 武侠 | wǔ xiá | wuxia (martial arts fiction) |
Usage tips
- 功夫 (gōng fu) also means time and effort in general, as in 花了很多功夫 (huā le hěn duō gōng fu), 'put in a lot of effort', so context tells you whether it's about martial arts.
- A martial arts teacher is a 师父 (shī fu), written with 父 (father) to reflect a close master-disciple bond, while 师傅 (shī fu) with 傅 is used for skilled workers and drivers.
- The verb with 太极拳 is 打 (dǎ): 打太极拳 (dǎ tài jí quán); for martial arts in general use 练 (liàn), as in 练武术 (liàn wǔ shù) or 练功夫 (liàn gōng fu).
Common mistakes
- Saying 我做功夫 for 'I do kung fu' → use 练 (liàn): 我练功夫 (wǒ liàn gōng fu), or 我会功夫 (wǒ huì gōng fu) for 'I know kung fu'.
- Calling karate or taekwondo 功夫 → 功夫 refers to Chinese martial arts; karate is 空手道 (kōng shǒu dào) and taekwondo is 跆拳道 (tái quán dào).
Mini dialogue
- A你会不会中国功夫？Nǐ huì bù huì Zhōng guó gōng fu?Do you know any Chinese kung fu?
- B会一点，我在学咏春，已经练了一年了。Huì yī diǎn, wǒ zài xué Yǒng chūn, yǐ jīng liàn le yī nián le.A bit. I'm learning Wing Chun, I've been at it a year.
- A难不难？Nán bù nán?Is it hard?
- B很难，师父特别严格，每次都要先扎马步。Hěn nán, shī fu tè bié yán gé, měi cì dōu yào xiān zhā mǎ bù.Very. My master is really strict, and every session starts with the horse stance.
- A我还是跟我奶奶去公园打太极拳吧。Wǒ hái shì gēn wǒ nǎi nai qù gōng yuán dǎ tài jí quán ba.I think I'll just do tai chi in the park with my grandma.
Example sentences
- 你会不会中国功夫？Do you know any Chinese kung fu?
- 我小时候练过武术。I did martial arts as a kid.
- 公园里很多老人打太极拳。Lots of older people do tai chi in the park.
- 少林寺在河南。The Shaolin Temple is in Henan.
- 我在学咏春，已经练了一年了。I'm learning Wing Chun, I've been at it a year.
- 很多孩子周末学跆拳道。Lots of kids do taekwondo at the weekend.
- 空手道是日本的武术。Karate is a Japanese martial art.
- 我的师父特别严格。My master is really strict.
- 他是师父最喜欢的徒弟。He's the master's favourite disciple.
- 练武要从扎马步开始。Martial arts training starts with the horse stance.
- 扎马步五分钟腿就抖了。After five minutes in horse stance my legs were shaking.
- 这套拳有很多招式。This form has lots of moves.
- 他已经是黑带了。He's already a black belt.
- 学点儿防身术挺有用的。Learning some self-defence is quite useful.
- 我从小就爱看武侠小说。I've loved martial arts novels since I was little.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Martial arts & kung fu speaking island has 8 everyday questions about martial arts & kung fu to prepare your own answers to.