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武术 (wǔ shù) — Chinese martial arts; kung fu

Definition

武术 (wǔshù) is the formal/traditional term for Chinese martial arts as a cultural practice. 功夫 is the more casual everyday word (also meaning 'time/effort'); 武侠 refers to the fiction genre and its heroes.

noun
Chinese martial artskung fu
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 武术，。
    Tā liàn le shí nián wǔ shù, xiàn zài yǐ jīng shì gāo shǒu le.
    He has practiced martial arts for ten years and is now a master.
  • 武术，。
    wǔ shù Yǒu hěn duō zhǒng, bǐ rú tài jí quán hé shào lín quán.
    There are many kinds of martial arts, such as Tai Chi and Shaolin boxing.
  • 武术，。
    wǔ shù Bù jǐn qiáng shēn jiàn tǐ, hái néng péi yǎng yì lì.
    Martial arts not only strengthen the body but also cultivate perseverance.

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.

武wǔmartial
术shùskill

“武” refers to martial matters, and “术” refers to a skill or method, giving martial skill.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

武 puts 戈 (dagger-axe) above 止 (foot/to walk), showing an army going on an expedition.

Open 武 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Chinese Culture & CustomsSports & Athletics

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