拳术 (quán shù) — the art of boxing; fist-based martial arts

Definition

Traditional term for Chinese fist-based martial arts (as in 太极拳). Emphasizes the 'art/skill' side, more formal and broader than the English sport sense of 'boxing'.

noun
the art of boxingfist-based martial arts
Measure word · 套
Easily confused

Examples

  • 拳术。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù kāi shǐ xué xí quán shù.
    He started learning the art of boxing from a young age.
  • 拳术。
    Zhè wèi lǎo shī fu jīng tōng gè zhǒng quán shù.
    This old master is proficient in various boxing arts.
  • 拳术。
    quán shù Zài zhōng guó yǒu zhe yōu jiǔ de lì shǐ.
    The art of boxing has a long history in China.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

拳quánfist/boxing
术shùart

拳 (fist/boxing) specifies the kind of 术 (art), giving 'fist art'.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
龹
龹龹拳quán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拳 pairs 手 (hand) with 龹 for sound. The hand part shows that the meaning is a form of hand, such as a fist.

Open 拳 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 術; 术 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
行行xíngstreet, path
Sound part声符shēngfú
朮
朮zhú術shù
Same sound today

The traditional form 術 has 行 (street, path) beside 朮, which gives the sound; the simplified 术 is a later shorthand.

Open 术 →

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