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

Compare meaning

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

• kung fu vs. karate

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

My friends and I would rush home to find out if a sumo wrestler could beat a judo or kung fu master.

From Salon ● Jun. 17, 2026

Could a kung fu master beat a kickboxer?

From Slate ● Jun. 14, 2026

Merz witnessed China's progress in the field first-hand during a visit to the country in February, when he saw displays of Chinese-made robots performing kung fu and boxing.

From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026

Mom slipped off her suit jacket and twisted it with a kung fu grip.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas

Related Words

• judo
• karate
• wrestling