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.

Contents
Forms
Family Lineage Titles or Terms
Limb names
18 hand technique names
Limb position names
Limb movement names
Drills
Notes
References

Forms

Two-knives for close fightings[1]

 As normally Cantonese Mandarin
Simp. Trad. Meaning(s)
seen in English (Yale (Pinyin
char. char. (in English)
(from Cantonese) transcription) transcription)

Siu Nim Tau ⼩念头 ⼩念頭 siu2 nim6 tau4 xiǎo niàn tou little idea; tiny idea[3]

Chum Kiu 寻桥 尋橋 cham4 kiu4 xún qiáo seeking the bridge

Biu Jee 镖指 鏢指 biu1 ji2 biāo zhǐ darting fingers

Muk Yan Jong ⽊⼈桩 ⽊⼈樁 muk6 yan4 jong1 mù rén zhuāng wooden dummy

Luk Dim Bun Gwan 六点半棍 六點半棍 luk6 dim2 bun3 gwan3 liù diǎn bàn gùn six and a half point pole

Baat Jaam Dou ⼋斩⼑ ⼋斬⼑ baat3 jaam2 dou1 bā zhǎn dāo eight slashing knives

Family Lineage Titles or Terms

As normally
seen in Cantonese Mandarin
Simp. Trad. Meaning(s)
English (Yale (Pinyin
char. char. (in English)
(from transcription) transcription)
Cantonese)

Sidai 师弟 師弟 si1 dai6 shī dì junior male classmate

Simui 师妹 師妹 si1 mui6 shī mèi junior female classmate

Sihing 师兄 師兄 si1 hing1 shī xiōng senior male classmate

Sije 师姐 師姐 si1 je2 shī jiě senior female classmate

Gowlin 教练 教練 gaau3 lin6 jiào liàn instructor or coach

Sifu 师⽗ 師⽗ si1 fu2 shī fù master

Sisuk 师叔 師叔 si1 suk1 shī shū 叔

master's junior male classmate (" " = junior
uncle)

Sibak 师伯 師伯 si1 baak3 shī bó 伯

master's senior male classmate (" " = senior
uncle)

(Very rare) 师姑 師姑 si1 gu1 shī gū 姑

master's female classmate (" " = aunt)

Sigung 师公 師公 si1 gung1 shī gōng master's master

师太 師太 si1 taai3
Sitaigung
公 公 gung1
shī tài gōng master's master's master

Sijo 师祖 師祖 si1 jou2 shī zǔ Yim Wing-chun (" 師祖" literally means "ancestral
master")

Limb names
 As normally Cantonese Mandarin
Simp. Trad. Meaning(s)
seen in English (Yale (Pinyin
char. char. (in English)
(from Cantonese) transcription) transcription)

sao ⼿ (as simp.) sau2 shǒu hand

kuen 拳 (as simp.) kyun4 quán fist

gerk 脚 腳 geuk3 jiǎo foot; leg

18 hand technique names

Limb position names

Wing-arc hand

Asking hand by Shirouye

hassanzadeh
Protecting hand by Wan Kam Leung

As normally Cantonese Mandarin

Simp. Trad. Meaning(s)
seen in English (Yale (Pinyin
char. char. (in English)
(from Cantonese) transcription) transcription)

bong sao 膀⼿ (as simp.) bong2 sau2 bǎng shǒu wing-arc hand[2]

fook sao 伏⼿ (as simp.) fuk6 sau2 fú shǒu tame-force hand [2]

man sao 问⼿ 問⼿ man6 sau2 wèn shǒu asking hand

wu sao; woo sau[2] 护⼿ 護⼿ wu6 sau2 hù shǒu protecting hand; guarding hand[2]

tan sao 摊⼿ 攤⼿ taan1 sau2 tān shǒu dispersing hand; lay-flat hand[2]

kau sao 扣⼿ 扣⼿ kau3 sau2 kòu shǒu detaining hand

Limb movement names

 As normally Cantonese Mandarin
Simp. Trad. Meaning(s)
seen in English (Yale (Pinyin
char. char. (in English)
(from Cantonese) transcription) transcription)

jam sao 枕⼿ (as simp.) jam2 sau2 chén shǒu sinking hand

gang sao; garn sau[2] 耕⼿ (as simp.) gaang1 sau2 gēng shǒu cultivating arm; ploughing hand[2]

jut sao 窒⼿ (as simp.) jat6 sau2 zhì shǒu choking hand

huen sao 圈⼿ (as simp.) hyun1 sau2 quán shǒu circling hand

lap sao 拉⼿ (as simp.) laai1 sau2 lā shǒu pulling hand; seizing hand[2]

pak sao 拍⼿ (as simp.) paak3 sau2 pāi shǒu slapping hand; slapping strike[2]

tok sao 托⼿ (as simp.) tok3 sau2 tuō shǒu lifting hand

laan sao 拦⼿ 攔⼿ laan4 sau2 lán shǒu barring arm

tai sao 提⼿ (as simp.) tai4 sau2 tí shǒu uplifting hand

jip sao 接⼿ (as simp.) jip3 sau2 jiē shǒu receiving hand

gam sao 揿⼿ 撳⼿ gam6 sau2 qìn shǒu pressing hand

biu sao 镖⼿ 鏢⼿ biu1 sau2 biāo shǒu darting hand

Drills

Double sticky hands by Ip Chun

Sticky feet
 As normally Cantonese Mandarin
Simp. Trad. Meaning(s)
seen in English (Yale (Pinyin
char. char. (in English)
(from Cantonese) transcription) transcription)

Daan Chi Sau 单黐⼿ 單黐⼿ daan1 chi1 sau2 dān chī shǒu single sticky hands

Luk Sau 碌⼿ (as simp.) luk1 sau2 lù shǒu rolling arms

Seung Chi Sau 双黐⼿ 雙黐⼿ seung1 chi1 sau2 shuāng chī shǒu double sticky hands

Chi Geuk 黐脚 黐腳 chi1 geuk3 chī jiǎo sticky feet

Other techniques:

1.Lin Wan Kuen - Chain Punch

2.One inch punch

3.Wing chun Double punch

4.Pai jarn - Horizontal

"Hacking" Elbow strike

5.Kwan sau - Rotating Hand

6.Gaun Sau – Splitting Hand

7.Yee Jee Kim Yueng Ma – Horse Stance

8.Wing Chun Centerline Training

9.Iron Palm Training

Notes

References
1. "Butterfly Swords" (https://www.wingchunnews.ca/butterfly-knives-2/). Wing Chun News.
Retrieved 19 July 2019.
2. CHU, Shong Tin; CHAN, Eddie (May 2011). The Book of Wing Chun (https://www.everythingwi
ngchun.com/BOOK-Chu-Shong-Tin-Book-of-Wing-Chun-1-p/book-cst01p.htm). 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]

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This page was last edited on 27 January 2021, at 06:36 (UTC).

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