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Synonyms

tae kwon do

American  
[tahy kwon doh] / ˈtaɪ ˈkwɒn ˈdoʊ /
Or taekwondo

noun

  1. a Korean martial art, a particularly aggressive form of karate, that utilizes punches, jabs, chops, blocking and choking moves, and especially powerful, leaping kicks.


tae kwon do British  
/ ˈtaɪ ˈkwɒn ˈdəʊ, ˈteɪ- /

noun

  1. a Korean martial art that resembles karate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of tae kwon do

1965–70; < Korean t’aekwŏndo, equivalent to t’ae- trample (< Middle Chinese, akin to Chinese tái ) + kwŏn fist (< Middle Chinese, akin to Chinese quán ) + -do, combining form of to way (< Middle Chinese, akin to Chinese dào )


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.

See Examples For:

“I fought really hard for the action piece,” says Brewster, who took up tae kwon do and started sending Lin training videos to pitch herself in action.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2021

Six are students of tae kwon do, and seven are students of shotokan karate.

From Textbooks ● Mar. 27, 2020

He loved video games and had a black belt in tae kwon do.

From The New Yorker ● Dec. 20, 2019

She was outgoing and friendly, joining a motorcycle club, practicing tae kwon do, and volunteering at an animal shelter and fire department, all within eight months of moving to Redmond, he said.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 14, 2019

When I drive Shoji to tae kwon do practice, I ask him if he thinks I’m fat.

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman

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