Glossary of Wing Chun terms

These are terms used in the Chinese martial art, Wing Chun. They are originally colloquial Cantonese (or Foshan spoken slang). Thus, their meanings might be difficult to trace. Some of those terms are used in Jeet Kune Do, sometimes with a different meaning.

Forms

Butterfly knives for close combat[1]

Family Lineage Titles or Terms

As normally
seen in English
(from Cantonese)
Simp.
char.
Trad.
char.
Cantonese
(Yale
transcription)
Mandarin
(Pinyin
transcription)
Meaning(s)
(in English)
Sidai 师弟師弟si1 dai6shī dì junior male classmate
Simui 师妹師妹si1 mui6shī mèi junior female classmate
Sihing 师兄師兄si1 hing1shī xiōng senior male classmate
Sije 师姐師姐si1 je2shī jiě senior female classmate
Gowlin 教练教練gaau3 lin6jiào liàn instructor or coach
Sifu 师父師父si1 fu2shī fù master
Sisuk 师叔師叔si1 suk1shī shū master's junior male classmate ("叔" = junior uncle)
Sibak 师伯師伯si1 baak3shī bó master's senior male classmate ("伯" = senior uncle)
Sigu (Rare)师姑師姑si1 gu1shī gū master's female classmate ("姑" = aunt)
Sigung 师公師公si1 gung1shī gōng master's master
Sitaigung 师太公師太公si1 taai3 gung1shī tài gōng master's master's master
Sijo 师祖師祖si1 jou2shī zǔ Yim Wing-chun ("師祖" literally means "ancestral master")

Limb names

As normally
seen in English
(from Cantonese)
Simp.
char.
Trad.
char.
Cantonese
(Yale
transcription)
Mandarin
(Pinyin
transcription)
Meaning(s)
(in English)
sao (as simp.)sau2shǒu hand
kuen (as simp.)kyun4quán fist
gerk geuk3jiǎo foot; leg

18 hand technique names

Limb position names

Wing-arc hand
Protecting hand by Wan Kam Leung
As normally
seen in English
(from Cantonese)
Simp.
char.
Trad.
char.
Cantonese
(Yale
transcription)
Mandarin
(Pinyin
transcription)
Meaning(s)
(in English)
bong sao 膀手(as simp.)bong2 sau2bǎng shǒu wing-arc hand[2]
fook sao 伏手(as simp.)fuk6 sau2fú shǒu tame-force hand [2]
man sao 问手問手man6 sau2wèn shǒu asking hand
wu sao; woo sau[2] 护手護手wu6 sau2hù shǒu protecting hand; guarding hand[2]
tan sao 摊手攤手taan1 sau2tān shǒu dispersing hand; lay-flat hand[2]
kau sao 扣手扣手kau3 sau2kòu shǒu detaining hand

Limb movement names

As normally
seen in English
(from Cantonese)
Simp.
char.
Trad.
char.
Cantonese
(Yale
transcription)
Mandarin
(Pinyin
transcription)
Meaning(s)
(in English)
jam sao 沉手(as simp.)jam2 sau2chén shǒu sinking hand
gang sao; garn sau[2] 耕手(as simp.)gaang1 sau2gēng shǒu cultivating arm; ploughing hand[2]
jut sao 窒手(as simp.)jat6 sau2zhì shǒu choking hand
huen sao 圈手(as simp.)hyun1 sau2quán shǒu circling hand
lap sao 拉手(as simp.)laai1 sau2lā shǒu pulling hand; seizing hand[2]
pak sao 拍手(as simp.)paak3 sau2pāi shǒu slapping hand; slapping strike[2]
tok sao 托手(as simp.)tok3 sau2tuō shǒu lifting hand
laan sao 拦手攔手laan4 sau2lán shǒu barring arm
tai sao 提手(as simp.)tai4 sau2tí shǒu uplifting hand
jip sao 接手(as simp.)jip3 sau2jiē shǒu receiving hand
gam sao 揿手撳手gam6 sau2qìn shǒu pressing hand
biu sao 镖手鏢手biu1 sau2biāo shǒu darting hand

Drills

Double sticky hands by Ip Chun
Sticky feet
Simp.
char.
Trad.
char.
Cantonese
(Yale
transcription)
Mandarin
(Pinyin
transcription)
Meaning(s)
(in English)
Daan Chi Sau 单黐手單黐手daan1 chi1 sau2dān chī shǒu single sticky hands[4]
Luk Sau 碌手(as simp.)luk1 sau2lù shǒu rolling arms
Seung Chi Sau 双黐手雙黐手seung1 chi1 sau2shuāng chī shǒu double sticky hands
Chi Geuk 黐脚黐腳chi1 geuk3chī jiǎo sticky feet

Other techniques:

  1. Lin wan kuen - chain punch
  2. One-inch punch
  3. Double punch
  4. Zao gek - hacking elbow strike
  5. Pai jarn - horizontal
  6. Kwan sau - rotating hand
  7. Gaun sau – splitting hand
  8. Yee jee kim yueng ma – horse stance, small adduction goat stance, or figure 2 stance
  9. Centerline training
  10. Iron palm training

See also

  • Kung Fu (Ranking)

Notes

    References

    1. "Butterfly Swords". Wing Chun News. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
    2. CHU, Shong Tin; CHAN, Eddie (May 2011). The Book of Wing Chun. The Hong Kong Social Sciences Press. p. 54. ISBN 9780823414741. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
    3. "Nim Lik (念力)" is literally translated as "Idea Power" in CHU's 2011 book[2]
    4. Spence, Mark. "Training with Sigung Chu Shong Tin". Chi Sau Club. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
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