nunchaku
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of nunchaku
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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.
From Los Angeles Times
She sighed as she put the battle-ax back, then flipped out a pair of nunchaku.
From Literature
It turned out to be a younger firefighter swinging nunchaku as his colleagues broke down in laughter.
From Los Angeles Times
An Asian in Rome uses whirling ``nunchakus’’ on a gang and fights a karate champ in the coliseum.
From Los Angeles Times
“Clearly, my years of martial arts training paid off. Pulled my old nunchaku out of storage … like riding a bike,” Mr. Brnovich captioned the five-second clip.
From Washington Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
