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.

- T -

• Ta means strike first.
• Ta bu means to stamp or stomp the foot.
• Tai means fish.
• Tai means to raise.
• Tai is Cantonese meaning great. Sometimes used as an adjective in the phrase Tai Sijo, great teacher-ancestor, to mean a founder or a teacher's teacher's teacher.
• Tai Cho means Great Ancestor. It is the name of a Chinese martial art style founded by Chao Kuang Yin who was nicknamed Sung Tai Cho, Great Ancestor of the Sung Dynasty. The style is divided into northern and southern versions. It is based on large expansive movements, kicks, sweeps, and scissor kicking methods. Training in Tai Cho is divided into two phases. The first phase consists of mainly of the physical movements for fighting. The second higher phase teaches special types of breathing together with 'secret' techniques referred to as Tiek Sar Chiang, or the invincible iron palm. Tai Cho also teaches the used of 18 different types of weapons with emphasis on the long staff and broad sword. The first empty hand routine called 'sam cheng' consists of three forward movements and 3 backward movements. Hand techniques are limited to the use of the palm heel, the spearhand, and the forefist punch. There are two types of kicks taught in the style: a front snap kick using the instep, the top of the foot, and a stamping kick. The style does not use the ball of the foot, the heel, or the edge of the foot as kicking surfaces. High kicks are foreign to Tai Cho. The style uses four main stances: horse stance, forward bow and arrow stance, cat stance, and hour glass stance. Training in 'Tiek Sar Chiang' is divided into three parts: strengthening the palm, breathing, and the method of striking. The strengthening of the palm is achieved by 'cooking' the hand in a heated sand and herb mixture over a period of several months. The method of striking includes the how, where, and when to strike. This includes study of the human anatomy. A tradition of the style is that the founder kept his right hand chained inside his garment after killing an opponent. He carried his hand chained until he died to avoid killing again. Two teachers of Tai Cho in Malaysia are the brothers, Ong Choon Seng and Ong Choon Boo. They were students of their father, who had been a student of his father and uncle in Tai Cho and a student of Ang Tin Sai in Northern Eagle Claw style.
• T'ai chu is very similar to the Okinawan Uechi-ryu karate style. It has lots of finger strikes and open handed palm blows. It is an off-shoot of Shaolin from the South of China. American Tim Tackett studied for two years under C. M. S. Chen, now deceased.
• Tai ji means grand ultimate.
• Tai ji jian means grand ultimate sword. This is the term used for the straight sword used in the practice of Taiji quan.
• Tai ji qi shi means begin the Taiji routine. It is the term for the beginning movement of the Chen family style of Taiji quan called Lao jia yi lu, old frame first set.
• Tai ji quan, (T'ai chi ch'uan), means grand ultimate fist.
• Tai ji shou si means close the Taiji routine. It is a technique in the Chen family style Taiji quan routine called old frame first set, Lao jia yi lu.
• Tai ji shou xing means a Taiji hand routine.
• Tai ji tang lang quan is a northern style of praying mantis fist called grand ultimate praying mantis boxing. It is one of numerous variations of the original preying mantis style.
• Tai ji tui shou means Taiji style push hands.
• Tai ji yan fa means Taiji style eye position.
• Tai Jo Kuen means Ming Dynasty King Form. It is an empty handed Eagle Claw style routine.
• Taio jian means to block a sword.
• Tai peng means roc spreads its wings. It is a Ngo Cho technique.
• Tai sha chiong means iron palm technique. Tan Kiong Beng orginally from Fukien Province, was an instructor of Ngo Cho style known for his skill in this technique.
• Taishi means high teacher, but only in an honorary sense.
• Tai Shing means monkey. It is an external Chinese martial art style.
• Tai Shing Pek Kwar means Monkey Ax Fist. It is a Chinese martial art style combining Tai Shing, Monkey style, and Pek Kwar, Ax Fist style. It is also known as Tai sh'ing pi qua. The founding is credited to Ma T'se Hou or Kou Tze in the early 20th century, in Shantung Province in northern China. Ma was arrested in 1911 C.E. for murder. Influential friends got his death sentence commuted to eight years imprisonment. After getting out of prison, he started the Monkey Boxing Society. During the eight years in prison, he practiced his martial art style called 'grand earth style', and watched a troop of monkeys outside his cell window. Ma picked out five aspects of monkey behavior that he valued. The first aspect is mi hou connoting the languid, relaxed movements of the sensuous female monkey. The second aspect is sh'i hou meaning stone monkey. This aspect is designed to develop firmness of blows and to develop proper body strength. The third aspect is mu hou meaning bathing monkey which remains vigilant even while bathing. The fourth aspect is t'se hou meaning sentinel monkey. This aspect trains the mind to always be prepared to protect itself with an advanced development of the mind and spirit. The fifth aspect is t'sueh hou meaning the drunken monkey. Inspite of its drunken state, the drunken monkey could still perform each of the other activities effectively. The five principle methods of maneuvering in monkey boxing are described as light, agile, lunge, full, and grasp. The five principles of psychological strategy and mental attitude are described as sneaky, devious, destructive, unpredictable, and elusive. These ten elements are combined into a ten character poem setting out the theoretical basis for interpreting and performing the style. This style has five empty hand routines, each depicting a different principle of movement. Kou named the forms the lost monkey, the drunken monkey, the tall monkey, the stone monkey, and the wooden monkey. The lost monkey routine teaches how to deal with suprise attacks and self defense situations by reacting coolly and efficiently under pressure. The drunken monkey routine uses off balance body positions and broken rhythm movements to confuse the opponent into believing his is helpless. The tall monkey routine refers to a monkey with long arms. The routine features long distance sweeping, swinging arm movements, and low deep stances. The stone monkey routine relies on power and brute strength. It is characterized by somersaults, rolling, and falling. The wooden monkey routine is the primary form of deception. This form uses quick wits, cleverness, and being sneaky to lure in the opponent as a set-up for an attack. Ma taught Kou Ssi, who was noted for his iron like kicks. Kou taught Keng Te Hai or Ken Teh-hai of Hong Kong. Keng is of the original family of practioners of Pi qua. He combined the two styles into one style. The brothers, Chan Kuan Tai and Chan Siu Chuen are two of Keng's better known students. Another well known student of Keng's is Chan Sou Chung of Hong Kong. He is nicknamed the 'Monkey King'. Chan Sou Chung is the disciple and successor to Keng.
• Tai Tong means Great Earth. It is an empty handed Tai Shing Pek Kwar routine featuring ground rolling techniques.
• Taizu quan is the name of an external Chinese martial art.
• Tamo is the name which the Chinese call the Indian Buddhist missionary Bodhidharma. He arrived in China in 527 C.E. preaching what has come to be known as Chan Buddhism in China and Zen Buddhism in Japan.
• Tamo Sho means Tamo's Palms. It is the name of a Chinese martial art style and the name of a form in the style. The only instructor I know of teaching this style is Li Yuan-hong of Taiwan. The style uses the hand in various ways including: the open hand utilizing the entire hand and the five fingers as a striking surface; the open back hand; the palm heart, the heel of the palm; the knife hand; the ridge hand, and the spear hand; in addition to using the fist. The Tamo Sho style does not use iron palm training methods. Rather it uses seated meditation and herbal medicines to train the hands and arms.
• Tam tui is a Chinese martial art style meaning seeking leg.
• Tan means to open and spread out.
• Tan means to carefully explore or to hold back a little so that you can withdraw. It is a term used in the Chen family style Taiji quan routine called old frame first set, Lao jia yi lu.
• Tang was a Chinese dynasty that ruled from 618 C.E. to 907 C.E.
• Tan gerk, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning leg block.
• Tang lang means preying/praying mantis.
• Tang lang chu dong is a seven star praying mantis routine meaning praying mantis exits the cave.
• Tang lang quan means preying/praying mantis fist or boxing. An individual called Wang Lang is credited as the founder. It is supposed to have been created about 400 hundred years ago. It has divided into many lineages using different descriptive terms about the mantis.
• Tang lang quanshu suibu is a text called Essays on Praying Mantis Boxing that was written by Huang Hunxun about the Seven Stars Praying Mantis lineage. It was published in 1972 in China by Hualian Publishing.
• Tang lang tou tau is a seven star praying mantis routime meaning praying mantis steals the peach.
• Tang ni bu means muddy stepping. It is a stepping method taught in some Baqua zhang lineages.
• Tan sau, (Cantonese), is the Chow gar term for upward spear hand. In Wing Chun, it means a palm up block.
• Tan tui is a northern Chinese martial art style meaning spring leg.
• Tao, , means way, path, or road.
• Taolu means form or routine.
• Ta sien means Great Sage. This style uses agile body movements, jumping, evasions, and low squatting stances as foundations for its techniques. It uses palm strikes, grabbing, and claw strikes as style defining offensive techniques.
• Tat chun means Bodhidharma method. It is a Buddhist martial art style claiming ancestry to the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma through the Shaolin Temple. It uses the muscle changing exercise routine and the marrow washing exercise routine as the basis for their Shaolin iron body training.
• Ta zhang means collapsing palm strike. It is a fundamental palm technique in the Yin Fu lineage of Ba qua zhang.
• Tei sau, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning rising arms.
• Tek, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning a kick.
• Teng means to move something, such as an arm or head.
• Teng kong fei jian means a flying kick.
• Ti means to rise or to lift something. It is also the term used for a basic straight sword technique.
• Tianzhisi quan is a small martial art style from Gansu Province. It is almost extinct.
• Tiao means hook, flick, or pluck. It is also a term used for the name of one of the basic straight sword techniques.
• Tiao bu means to jump.
• Tie means to tag or touch something.
• Tie chi means iron ruler. Think of a steel yard/meter stick.
• Tie di means iron flute.
• Tien gunn means celestial stem. It is a series of 26 exercises for health and self defense derived from Hsing-i chuan and Pakua chang by James McNeil in the United States. The human body is the celestial stem.
• Tien Te Lin Chien means Heaven, Earth, and Man Tension. It is an empty handed routine in the Ngo Cho style.
• Ti er qi means double jump kick. It is a technique in the Chen family style Taiji quan routine called old frame first set, Lao jia yi lu.
• Tie shuan means iron fan.
• Tie yan dou means iron smoking pipe.
• Til guerk means toe kick. (1)
• Til sau is a Shaolin Fut gar term meaning lifting hand. (1)
• Tit sin kuen means iron wire boxing form. It is a Hung-gar style form designed to teach certain types of internal power.
• Ti tui means a straight kick.
• Ti tui means high kicking.
• Tiu le ge ma means jumping/cross horse stance. (1)
• To dai, (Cantonese), means a student.
• Tok sau, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning elbow lifting hand or supporting hand.
• Tong bei means through the back.
• Tong bei quan literally means back through fist or though the back fist, referring to the unique use of the back part of the body in generating power. It is also known as shadow fist. Alternative terms for the technique include tong boi kuen and tung pei ch'uan. It is also the name of a style of Chinese martial art. Sifu Hon Tong was known for his useage of this technique.
• Tong boi quan literally means back through fist or though the back fist, referring to the unique use of the back part of the body in generating power. It is also known as shadow fist. Alternative terms for the technique include tong bei kuen and tung pei ch'uan. It is also the name of a style of Chinese martial art. Sifu Hon Tong was known for his useage of this technique.
• Tong long tow toe is a seven star praying mantis routine meaning praying mantis steals the peach.
• Tong sa is the Chow gar term for knee raise.
• Tong tek, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term for a diagonal kick.
• To suen, (Cantonese), means a grandson. It is a term for the student of a student.
• Tou means the head.
• Tou zhuang to butt.
• Tow mo kuen is a Chow gar empty hand routine meaning breathing mist form.
• Tsa is a wiping throw process taught in the Chen family style of Taiji quan in the routine called old frame first set, Lao jia yi lu.
• T'sai means strike.
• T'u means to exert. For martial arts, this means to strike in such a manner that the opponent feels like being swatted, pushed, sunk and bounced away.
• Tu di means a disciple.
• Tuanlian is a military unit made up of non-professional soldiers. In English, a tuanlian is called a militia.
• Tuan ch'uan means short fist. Sifu Wong Yuen was known forr his useage of this technique. It is also known as duen kuen and as duan quan.
• Tuei swar is the name of an advanced Ngo Cho style routine.
• Tui means leg.
• Tui means to push.
• Tui bu means to step back.
• Tui cuo means to shove.
• Tui na means to push and grab. It is a Chinese healing massage technique.
• Tui shou means push hands.
• Tui zhang means pushing palm strike. It is a fundamental palm techniques in the Yin Fu lineage of Ba qua zhang.
• T'un means to adhere. For martial arts, this means the exertion of force in a flexible manner so that you block or intercept the opponent's blow by directiong your force in a circular montion, causing his blow or strike to slide and miss the target.
• Tun da means the short strike. It is one of the Northern Shaolin empty hand routines that form the Ten Hand Sets.
• Tung Hai Chuan, (1813-1882 C.E.), was the founder of Ba qua zhang style of internal martial arts.
• Tung moon, (Cantonese), is a term meaning a fellow student.
• Tuo means alligator.
• Tuo means to lift, to carry or block. An example would be to strike as if carrying a tray above the head like a waiter.
• Tu shou dui lian means bare handed fighting.
• Tut sau, (Cantonese), is a Wing Chun term meaning freeing arm.
• Tzon huo chuan means shaking or jumping white crane fist. Fan Fai-shih is credited with being the founder in the 1800's. He is supposed to have seen a crane shake water off of it's body with poweful jerking motions. This gave him the inspiration that people could also generate power is a similar way. The style has fourteen important terms describing concepts they consider their core knowledge. These terms are:
  1. beak, zou;
  2. cover, gai;
  3. disperse, por;
  4. dodge, shan;
  5. escape, dun;
  6. fly, fei;
  7. follow, shuenn;
  8. grasp, kou;
  9. pluck, chai;
  10. rend, chei;
  11. shake, jan;
  12. sticking, nien;
  13. strike, dar;
  14. twist, neu
  .
• Tzu wu jien is a northern praying mantis weapon routine meaning high noon sword. It is a straight sword form.

Sources of information

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