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.

- L -

• La means to pull back or draw back. It is a term used for one of the basic straight sword techniques in Taiji quan.
• Laan sau, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning bar arm.
• Laap sau, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning deflecting arm.
• Lai tai is a term for full contact fights done without rules upon a raised platform.
• Lan means to hinder or obstruct, i.e., blocking. It is a term used for one of the thirteen basic Taiji quan broadsword techniques. It is also a term used for the name of one of the basic straight sword techniques taught in Taiji quan.
• Lan na zha means to block, trap, and stab. The combination is an outer counter clockwise trap, an inner clockwise trap, and a stab with a spear.
• Lan qiang means wolf spear. Wolf teeth refers to spikes on the spear.
• Lan ya ban means wolf teeth club. It is a spiked club.
• Lan ya chui means wolf teeth hammer. It is a large ball with spikes attach to a rope or chain. Due to the spikes, it is not used like the rope dart or meteor hammer. Rather, it is thrown and then retrieved with the rope or chain.
• Lan ya dang means a wolf teeth spiked trident.
• Lan zha yi means lazily tying a coat. It is a technique in the Chen family style Taiji quan routine called old frame first set, Lao jia yi lu.
• Lao gong is the term for the accupressure point (P8) located in the palms.
• Laoshi is pronounced lao-shir. It means a non-inheritor instructor.
• Lau gar kuen is the name of an empty hand routine in Sil lum meaning Lau family form.
• Lau sau, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning scooping arm.
• Lau sui is a Chow gar style weapon routine meaning flowing water pole form.
• Law horn kuen means Buddhist monk form. It is the name of a routine in the Sil lum style of kung-fu.
• Law horn kune means Buddha fist. It is the name of a form in the Eagle Claw style.
• Le means to pull back or draw back. It is one of the basic straight sword techniques in Taiji quan.
• Lee Fah Sieng was one of four disciples of the female founder, Fung Chi Niang, of the White Crane style of Chinese martial arts. Lee Fah Sieng was the first head of the Flying Crane branch of the style after Fung. He was the father of Lee Mah Saw.
• Lee Joo Chian (1958 - ) is the current head of the Flying Crane branch of the White Crane style of Chinese martial arts. He is based in Sibu, Malaysia. He is the fourth generation head of the style since the female founder, Fung Chi Niang created the style in the Fukien Province of China.
• Lee Kiang Ke (1903 - 1992) was the third head of the Flying Crane branch of the White Crane style since the female founder, Fung Chi Niang created the style in the Fukien Province of China. He was born in Chow Ann District of Fukien Province. In 1931(?), he moved to Malaysia to practice medicine and teach martial arts. His school in Sibu, Malaysia was named White Crane Martial Arts Courage School. Lee was known for his skill with the iron palm techniques. He was the son of Lee Mah Saw and the father of Lee Joo Chian.
• Lee Mah Saw was the second head of the Flying Crane branch of the White Crane style of Chinese martial arts. He lived and taught in Chow Ann District of Fukien Province. He was the son of Lee Fah Sieng and the father of Lee Kiang Ke.
• Leng low means the leader. It is one of the Northern Shaolin empty hand routines that form the Ten Hand Sets.
• Lian means the lotus flower.
• Lian dao is a sickle, a single handed bladed grain cutting farm tool.
• Lian dao qiang is a hooked single spear. The base of the spear blade has a single hooked prong jutting out to the side.
• Lian huan means continuous fist. It is the eighth empty handed routine in the Zha quan martial arts system.
• Lian ji means double hit.
• Lian xi means to practice.
• Liao means to slide upward. It is one of the basic straight sword techniques in Taiji quan.
• Liao means to slice or cut up.
• Liao means flicking. It is one of the thirteen basic Taiji quan broadsword techniques.
• Liao means twirling. It is one of the thirteen basic Taiji quan broadsword techniques.
• Liao rao means to entangle or to curl around something.
• Lieh means rip open. It is a corner power in Taiji quan.
• Lien wan means continuation. It is one of the Northern Shaolin empty hand routines that form the Ten Hand Sets.
• Li fian means upright sword.
• Li hua qiang means pear flower spear. It was the name of a famous spear used by the female spear expert Yang Miao Zhen.
• Li jia quan means Li family fist. It is a Southern Chinese kung-fu style founded by Li You San. It is known for its usage of the phoenix eye punch.
• Li liang xun lian means strength training.
• Lim jam sau is the Chow gar term for elbow seizing hand.
• Lin means forest or woods. Used as in Shaolin, meaning the mountain known as Shao and forest.
• Ling means to drag or to lead.
• Ling kong jin means an expression of up lifting energy, such as found in Taiji quan.
• Ling Wood Chuan means Fast and Accurate Fist Form. It is an empty handed routine in the Pai Lum Tao style.
• Lin wan kuen, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning chain punches.
• Liu feng si bi means six sealing and four closing. It is a technique in the Chen family style Taiji quan routine called old frame first set, Lao jia yi lu.
• Liu he means six integration. The six integrations are: integration of heart and will, will and qi, qi and strength, the shoulders and hips, the knees and elbows, and the hands and feet.
• Liu jia quan means Liu family fist. It is a Chinese kung-fu style founded by Liu San Yan. It is well known for its staff techniques.
• Liu xing chui means meteor hammer. It is basicly a weight tied on to the end of a rope. It is thrown at an opponent. It can be wrapped around the body or limbs while spinning it.
• Liu yum gyuk, (Cantonese), is a Hung ga term for a snap kick performed towards the front.
• Li Yau San was a Southern Shaolin martial arts instructor who taught Chan Heung, the founder of the Choy Li Fut style. Li was known for his strong skills in using the fists.
• Lohan means an arhat. An arhat is an individual seeking self enlightenment. It is sometimes thought of as an individual similar to a saint. Across the street from the Shaolin Temple is another temple containing life size statutes of 500 individual arhats.
• Lohan quan means Arhat or Monk Fist. It is the name of a Buddhist style of Chinese self protection that is credited to the Indian monk Bodhidharma who taught in China during the sixth century C.E. The Eighteen Hands of Lohan is thought by some to be the original Shaolin routine. It is also written as Luohan quan.
• Loi yeun sau is the Chow gar term for inside circle hand.
• Lok dim boon guan is a Wing Chun weapon routine meaning 6 1/2 point pole form.
• Lok Hop Do means Six Direction Sabre. It is an Eagle Claw style routine.
• Lok ma, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning retreating stance.
• Long means dragon.
• Long bai wei means shake the dragon's tail. It is the nineth empty handed routine in the Zha quan marial arts system.
• Long Quan is a county in Zhejiang province that is famous for the high quality weapons manufactured there.
• Long quan means dragon fist. It is a style of Chinese martial art.
• Long Quan jian is a generic term for the high quality swords manufactured in Long Quan county, Zhejiang province. It can also be used as the name of a sword.
• Long xing jian means dragon form sword.
• Long xing quan means dragon form fist.
• Look, (Cantonese), means the number 6.
• Lop hop do means 6 direction sabre. It is the name of a routine in the Eagle Claw style.
• Lou means to grasp or to grapple.
• Lou means to brush aside, slide, or skim. It is a Black Tiger style term used to mean the taking advantage of the opponent being off guard. It is also a term used in Taiji quan in the phrase for the technique called brush knee.
• Lou shou means brush hand.
• Lou xi means brush knee. It is a technique taught in the Chen family style Taiji quan routine called old frame first set, Lao jia yi lu.
• Lu means roll back. It is a technique in Taiji quan.
• Lu means a crossbow. It is an early (770-476 B.C.E., the Spring and Autumn Period) military weapon.
• Luk dim boon kwan, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning six and a half point pole.
• Lun means to circle a weapon.
• Lung means dragon.
• Lung xing quan means dragon style fist. It is a Chinese martial art style that is a variation or specialization in Shaolin quan.
• Luo means to stroke something in a manner such as to pull it.
• Luo Guangyu was a headmaster of the Seven Stars Praying Mantis boxing lineage. Among his noteable students was Huang Hanxun.
• Luo Han Gong is the name of a book, Monk martial art, written by seven star preying mantis teacher Fan Xu Dong. It is also the name of a northern preying mantis breathing routine.
• Luohan Quan means Worthy One Fist. This is the name of a pair of Shaolin style routines, large and small, Da Luohan Quan and Xiao Luohan Quan.
• Luohan Shi Ba Shou means Worthy One Eighteen Hands. This is a Shaolin style routine different from the large and small Luohan Quan routines.