The David Brent Wolfe Dictionary of

Chinese Martial Art Terms

When possible, terms are given in Mandarin (Hanyu) pinyin spelling. The older spelling of the Wade Giles method is used when it is the more commonly known version. For some terms the most common version is given in Cantonese.

- C -

• Ca means to wipe or to rub.
• Cai means to trample or to step on something.
• Cai means pull or pluck. It is a corner power in Taiji quan. Cai is one of the thirteen basic postures in Taiji quan.
• Cai jia quan means Cai family fist. It is a Southern Chinese martial art style named after Cai Bai Da. The style is well known for its kicking techniques.
• Cang means to hide.
• Cang dao means to hide a broadsword.
• Ce chong means side punch.
• Ce chuan means to penetrate the side with a palm strike.
• Ce du means to side step.
• Ce kao is a technique in the Chen family style of Taiji quan where the opponent is bumped off balance from the side.
• Ce kong means a side somersault.
• Cha means to split or splitting.
• Cha bu means cross step or back cross step. It is a martial art fighting posture.
• Ch'a Ch'uan is a long range Moslem Chinese martial art style using high long kicks to bridge the distance to opponents. It was mostly practiced in Kansu, Sinkiang, and Chinghai Provinces.
• Cha Chuey is a Chang Chuan, Seven Star, Preying Mantis two person empty handed routine meaning piercing fist.
• Chai means to pluck.
• Cham kui, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning arm seeking form.
• Chan means contact.
• Chan means a weapon commonly known as a monk's spade.
• Chan means to wrap, coil, wind around, or to bind up. It is one of the basic straight sword techniques. Chan is also the name of an empty hand technique in Taiji quan.
• Chang gyuk is a Hung ga term meaning to prop up. It is sometimes called a spade kick as the motion is like stepping on a garden shovel or spade. The kick is done to the lower level.
• Chang sau, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning spade hand.
• Chang Zhenfeng, 1898 - 1979 C.E., was an instructor in Zha quan. He was taught by Zhang Jiwei, 1848 - 1932 C.E. Chang was an instructor of Zhang Wenguang, who went on to be one of the creators of competitive sport wushu.
• Chan Heung was the founder of the Choy Li Fut martial art style. He combined the Choy family system with Li family system and a Buddhist style referring to it as Fut.
• Ch'an is the type of Dhyana Buddhism brought from India to China by Bodhidarma. Ch'an is a type of meditation practice to bring about concentration and a new perception of reality.
• Chang means long.
• Chang chuan means long fist. It is the name of a northern Chinese martial art style. It is also used as a generic term meaning all of the northern Chinese long range styles. Tai Jo was a well known individual who practiced this style. It is also known as cheng kuen and as chang quan.
• Chang chuan tong long means Long Fist Preying Mantas. It is on the the branches of northern praying mantis. It is a variation of Guang Bang style of northern preying mantis.
• Chan guerk is a Shaolin Fut gar term meaning thrusting heel kick. (1)
• Chang quan means long fist. It is a martial art style from the coastal province of Zhejiang. It developed from fighting on boats. It is also used as a generic term meaning all of the northern Chinese long range styles. Tai Jo was a well known individual who practiced this style. It is also known as cheng kuen and as chang quan.
• Chang sui jian refers to any sword with long tassels. They are commonly used in the northern Chinese martial art styles.
• Chang xiao bang means lashing staff. This is another term for a two section staff. One section is a long pole with the other section being a much shorter stick. The shorter section is used as a flail.
• Chan Heung was the founder of the Choy Li Fut style of Chinese martial arts. He was a student of his uncle, Chan Yuan Woo; a Northern Shaolin stylist, Choy Fook; and a Southern Shaolin stylist, Li Yau San.
• Chan Yuan Woo was a Buddhist Palm martial art stylist who taught his nephew, Chan Heung, who in turn created the Choy Li Fut style.
• Chan zhang means Zen stick. It is more commonly translated as monk's cudgel or staff.
• Chan zi dao means a cicada wing sword.
• Chap sau is the Chow gar style term for downward spear hand.
• Charm is A Black Tiger style term meaning to cut or chop. It means to cut or chop your opponent's attacking limbs. It is a way of avoiding strong blows.
• Chat, (Cantonese), means the number 7.
• Chau means lifting.
• Chau Sot Guen means lifting and smashing staff form. It is the name of a single ended staff routine in Choy Li Fut. Single ended means that both hands grasp one end of the pole.
• Che means slicing. It is the name of one of the thirteen Taiji quan broadsword techniques.
• Che bu means withdrawing step. It is a martial art body movement.
• Chee'm sum geuk is a Jow ga term meaning peircing heart kick.
• Chei means to rend.
• Chen is the name of the family which created Taiji quan.
• Cheng means to brace or brace out.
• Cheng kuen means long fist. Tai Jo was a well known individual who practiced this style. It is also known as ch'ang ch'uan and as chang quan.
• Chen shi tai ji quan means Chen style grand ultimate fist.
• Chen Yuan Ping was a 16th century C.E. Chinese martial artist who went to Japan and taught some of his martial skills to some Japanese samurai. The Japanese call him Gempin. He is considered to be the source of some of the originial skills in a couple of jujutsu styles.
• Cheong kiu gang is a Chinese bench similar to an American saw horse used during construction. The Chinese bench was used by restaurants and tea houses in place of chairs. The bench is about four feet long and about two feet high. It is topped by a flat board about eight inches wide as a seat. Because it is normally held by both hands, it is considered a long type of weapon. Power is generated by twisting the waist. Both ends of the bench are used to strike the opponent in a manner similar to double ended staff techniques.
• Cheung means a forward thrusting motion.
• Chi means energy. It is the same word as qi.
• Chi dan sau, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun phrase meaning single sticky hands.
• Chi gerk, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning sticky legs.
• Chi kung means the study of energy. Much that is taught as chi kung is worthless. Con men abound willing to take anyone's money. It does not take a long time to learn how to generate energy. It does take time and much practice to get skillful at using it when wanted. An instructor requiring more than a very few minutes to get the student actually able to use it, either can not explain it or is a con man. It is not magic. It is applied body mechanics at an advanced level.
• Chi kwan, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning sticky pole.
• Chilin is a mythological animal in Chinese culture dating from about 500 B.C.E. In Chinese culture, this animail is a symbol of virture. In early times, it was described as a deer-like animal with hooves. Later, it's description evolved into an animal with a horse-like body with hooves. The body and legs are covered in scales. The head is dragon-like. Some individuals have begun using a unicorn as the chilin through lack of knowledge of Chinese culture. The chilin has two horns. This animal is the symbol of the kung-fu style that was taught by Denis R. Decker.
• Chim Lung Guen means Diving Dragon Form. It is a single ended staff routine in the Choy Li Fut style. Single ended means that both hands are grasping one end of the pole. It is considered an advanced routine due to the techniques taught in the form.
• Chin means advance.
• Chin chi sau is a Shaolin Fut gar term meaning cross scissors hand. (1).
• Chin gum sau, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning front pinning hand.
• Chin jeung, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning front palm.
• Chin na means grab control. It emphasizes grabbing techniques to control and lock the opponent's body. Chin na uses dislocations of the joints and attacking selected acupunture points as targets. It is one component of most Chinese martial art styles along with kicking, striking, and throwing. Chin na is the same word as qin na. Chin na can be divided into four types of techniques: fen gin meaning dividing the muscle, bih chi or duann mie meaning closing the vein, tsuoh guu meaning misplacing the bone, and tien hsueh meaning cavity press.
• Chin sum kuen means center (fist) breaking heart punch. (1)
• Chin tek, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning front kick.
• Chi sau is a Chow gar style drill called grinding arm.
• Chi sau, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun style drill called sticky hands.
• Chi shou means a push dagger. It consists of a small handle held in the palm with the blade extending between the fingers when the hand is formed into a fist.
• Chi xieng means seven star. Seven star praying mantis is one of the northern branches of praying mantis style.
• Ch'o Chiao is a northern Chinese martial art style from Gao Yang county in Hopei Province. It has many fancy high kicking techniques.
• Chong means thrust. It is one of the basic straight sword techniques.
• Chong feng shan zhan means to be fully extended.
• Chong mai means thrusting vessel. It is one of eight vessels that traditional Chinese medicine considers to hold or contain chi/qi.
• Chong quan means thrusting fist.
• Chop choy kuen is Cantonese for a beginning Praying Mantis style form.
• Chou means to draw back or to pull. It is also one of the basic straight sword techniques.
• Chou la means to lash out such as with a spear.
• Chow gar was founded by Chow Ah Naam (as related to me by my sifu Ip Chee Keung who’s knowledge of the system is second to none and son of the Grandmaster Ip Sui. Information supplied by Tim Hatton in an email dated 26 August 2002.
• Chow gar is a southern Chinese martial art style founded by Chow Lung as a variation of Hung gar with the addition of Pa kua staff techniques.
• Chow kuen means lifting punch. (1)
• Chow Lung was the founder of the southern Chinese martial art style Chow gar.
• Choy Fook was a Northern Shaolin martial arts instructor who taught Chan Heung, the founder of Choy Li Fut style.
• Choy Li Fut is the name of the Chinese martial art style created by Chan Heung, of Xin Hui, Guangdong Province, in 1836. It is a combination the Northern Shaolin system of Choy Fook and the Southern Shaolin of Li Yau San with a Buddhist style, Fut, as taught by his uncle, Chan Yuan Woo. Choy Li Fut contains ten staff routines. The staff routines are: Seung gup darn guen, meaning single and double ended staff form; Ng dim mui fa fa bot gua guen, meaning five point plum blossom eight trigram staff form; Dai hung kei guen, meaning great banner staff form; Chau sot guen, meaning lifting and smashing staff form;; Mui fa cheung guen, meaning plum blossom lancing staff form; Chim lung guen, meaning diving dragon staff form; Bin gwai guen, meaning flat crutch staff form; Poon lung guen, meaning coiling dragon staff form; Hang jieh guen, meaning monkey king staff form; and Seung lung kup hei guen, meaning twin dragons inhaling air staff form. Choy Li Fut contains four spear routines. They include: Saw hau cheung, throat locking spear; Sup ji mui fa cheung, cross pattern plum blossom spear; Mui fa cheung, plum blossom spear; and Jor yau sup sam cheung, left and right thirteen lances spear.
• Chu means to emerge.
• Chu means to touch.
• Chua Giok Beng was the founder of Ngo Cho, Five Ancester, style. He was born in 1853 in Chuan Chiu, Fukien Province. He was a student of Ho Yang until his death. At that point he returned his teacher's body to Henan Province. While returning home, he undertook the study of additional martial art styles. He enjoyed fame for his skill in iron palm techniques and jumping skills.
• Chuan means to thread something, such as threading through a block or along an arm or weapon.
• Chuang zhang means piercing palm strike. It is a fundamental palm technique in the Yin Fu lineage of Ba gua zhang.
• Chuan jian means to thrust with a straight sword.
• Chuan quan means piercing fist. It is the name of the tenth empty handed routine in the Zha quan martial arts system.
• Chuan zhang means a penetrating palm strike.
• Chui means to pound something. It is also used as a term for a hammer. It is a metal globe on either a short or long staff used as a club. It is used alone or in pairs. Another version called a meteor hammer is swung on the end of a chain.
• Chui da means a hammer fist strike. This is a strike with the little finger side of the fist.
• Chui tui means to kick to the side with the bottom of the foot.
• Chu ji quan means primary fist.
• Chum chung sau is the Chow gar term for sinking elbow hand.
• Chum sam means striking to the heart. It is one of the Northern Shaolin empty hand routines that form the Ten Hand Sets.
• Chum kiu is a Wing Chun routine meaning searching for the bridge.
• Chung lo, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning middle level.
• Chung si, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning the grandmaster of a style.
• Chung sin, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning mid line.
• Chung sum sin, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning the center line.
• Chun qiu means the Spring and Autumn period, 722 B.C.E. to 484 B.C.E, in Chinese history.
• Chun sum gyuk is a Hung ga term for a middle level kick done toward the groin area with the heel.
• Chuo means to poke or to stick into something.
• Chu qiao means to unsheathe.
• Chu shou means to release.
• Chu tou means a farm tool, the hoe, that was used as a weapon.
• Ci means to stab, thrust or pierce with a thin pointed weapon. It is one of the basic straight sword techniques.
• Ci huo pi means to hit or to strike a blow.
• Ci jian means to thrust with a sword.
• Ci quan means to jab.
• Cuo means to file. It is one of the basic straight sword techniques.
• Cup jarn, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning downward elbow.

Sources of information

1. Suggested by Mrs. Jay Acdan in an email dated 13 March 2004.