kung fu

American  

[kuhng foo, koong] / ˈkʌŋ ˈfu, ˈkʊŋ /

noun

1. an ancient Chinese method of self-defense by striking blows at vulnerable areas of an attacker's body using fluid movements of the hands and legs.

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kung fu British  

/ ˈkʌŋ ˈfuː /

noun

1. any of various Chinese martial arts, some focusing on unarmed combat, others involving the use of weapons

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Etymology

Origin of kung fu

From the Chinese word gōngf ú literally, skill

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Compare meaning

How does kung-fu compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• kung fu vs. karate

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kung fu

The kitchen scenes are a combo platter of boot camp, frat house hazing ritual and kung fu movie.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

Could a kung fu master beat a kickboxer?

From Slate ● Jun. 14, 2026

Fans love clocking their samples from kung fu movies, shouting out “Tiger style!” from “Executioners from Shaolin,” or the definitive quote about Shaolin shadowboxing teaming up with the Wu-Tang sword style: It could be dangerous!

From Salon ● May 31, 2026

Tesla’s Optimus, which stands about 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 125 pounds, has evolved from dancing in a suit, to serving drinks while controlled remotely, to learning kung fu.

From Barron's ● Feb. 6, 2026

Park had expected Steve to start in on him as soon as he let the girl sit down, but Steve went right back to talking about kung fu again.

From "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell

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Related Words

• judo
• karate
• wrestling

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