nunchaku

Also nun-chucks,
Also

[nuhn-chah-koo]

noun

1. Sometimes nunchakus. a Japanese hand weapon for defense against frontal assault, consisting of two foot-long hardwood sticks joined by a chain or thick cord that stretches to body width.

Word History and Origins

Origin of nunchaku¹

1965–70; < Okinawan Japanese version of a dialectal Chinese (Taiwan) word for a farm implement, probably neng-cak, equivalent to Chinese lyǎng pair(ed) + záo dig (a hole), i.e., two diggers; with 2nd element interpreted as zat, equivalent to Chinese jié section

Example Sentences

While stealing moments to train for an upcoming nunchaku scene — the signature weapon of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, whose writings inspired the project — Koji accidentally smacked himself in the head, he admits.

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She sighed as she put the battle-ax back, then flipped out a pair of nunchaku.

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The man in his 30s was found carrying nunchaku, an Asian martial arts weapon, as well as an electric shocker, chains and other “means of assault,” the police said.

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Please, pretty please, stay around for the madly spinning nunchaku, thong leotard and choreographed “tomayto-tomahto” conga.

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An Asian in Rome uses whirling nunchakus on a gang and fights a karate champ in the coliseum.

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