Learning martial arts let alone all the terminology that comes with it, can feel as hard as learning a new language like Chinese. Well, actually it is!
I’ve put this guide together for you to make your lives easier.
Contents
Respectful Address
Students and teachers are required to use the appropriate titles of respect while conducting or participating in class.
Si Jo/Sijo Founder of system –Bruce Lee Si Gung/Sigung Grandfather or teacher of your Si Fu –Dan Inosanto/Tim Tackett/Ted Wong/Chris Kent, Si Tai Gung/Sitai gung Great-grandfather or your instructor’s Si Gung – Bruce lee/Dan Inosanto
Si Fu/Sifu Your instructor, your father in Gung Fu
Si Hing/Sihing Your senior, your older brother
Si Dai/Sidai Your junior, your younger brother
Si Jay/Sijay Your female senior, your older sister
Si Mui/Simui Your female junior, your younger sister Si Bak/Sibak Uncle, your instructor’s senior
Si Suk/Sisook Uncle, your instructor’s junior
Si Mo/Simo Your mother in Gung Fu, or wife of Si Fu
Si Bak Gung/Sibak gung Elder Gung Fu brother of Si Gung Si Juk/Sijuk Nephew, student of
Si Dai To Dai/Todai Student, disciple To Suen/Tosuen Grandson, student of
To Die Yut Hing/Yuthing Number one brother
Tung Moon Follower of same style
Toshoon Student’s student (grandchildren)
Gwoon/Kwoon School, gym (institute)
Jee yau bok gik Freestyle sparring
Gin Lai Salute
Jiue Ying Opponent
Lee Jun Fan Bruce Lee’s Chinese Name
Joap Hop Line Up or Group Together
Yu Bai Ready
Bai Jong Ready Stance/Position
Hai Begin Lines of Attack
Alphabetical
-B-
Bai Jong ready position; on guard position
Biu Gee finger jab; “thrusting hand”
Biu Sao palm-down finger thrust block
Biu Sao Da palm-down finger thrust block and hit
Bong Sao bent-arm deflection; raised elbow block
-C-
Chang Sao spade hand
Chi Gerk “sticky legs”
Chi Sao “sticky hands” drill
Chop Chuie second knuckle fist
Chuen Sao “piercing hand”
Chuie fist Chum kil “seeking to bridge the gap”
Chung centerline; vertical
Chung Chuie “vertical fist” jab
Chung Geong centerline block
Chung Sim San centerline
Cup Chuie “overhead fist”
Cup Sao “scooping hand”
-D-
Da to hit or strike
Dan one or single
Dan Chi Sao single hand “sticky hands”
Daon Sao low pressing hand Do or “Tao” Meaning “Way”, pronounced “Dao”
Ding Jang butting elbow
Dum Tek stomp kick
-F-
Fak Sao “whisking arm” knife hand chop
Fon Sao trapping hands
Fook Sao “bridging arm”; bent-arm elbow in block; hooking hand block
-G-
Gan Sao “splitting block”
Geong block
Giu upward
Giu Chuie uppercut
Giu Tek upward slapping kick
Guoy outside
Go high
Go Da high hit
Goang Sao low outer-wrist block; low cutting arm block
Gua Chuie back fist
Gua Tek inverted hook kick
Gum Sao pinning hand
-H-
Ha low
Ha Da low hit
Ha O’ou Chuie shovel hook
Ha Pak low slap
Ha So Tek low inverted sweep kick
Hon rear
Hon Chung Chuie cross; back vertical fist
Hon Tek back kick
Huen Sao “circling hand”; small disengagement
-J-
Jang elbow
Jao Sao large disengagement; “running hand”
Jao Sao Da running hand and hit
Jeen lead
Jeet intercept; stop
Jeet Da stop hit
Jeet Gek “intercepting shin”; jam with the shin
Jeet Kune Do “The Way of the Intercepting Fist”
Jeet Que “intercepting bridge”
Jeet Tek “intercepting kick”; stop kick
Jern palm strike
Jik Chung Chuie “straight blast” or “battle punch”
Jik Jern straight palm
Jik Tek front kick/straight kick
Jit Tek straight kick with toe
Joap Hop “group together”
Jong Sao palm-inward block and hit
Jong Tao head butt Joy left
Juen Tek spinning kick
Juk Tek side kick
Jum Sao sinking hand block
Jung middle
Jung Da middle hit
Jut Sao jerking hand
Jut Sao Da jerking hand and hit
-K-
Kao Sao “curving hand”; circling block
Kao Sao Da curving hand and hit
Kow Tao head butt
Kup Sao capturing hand; scooping hand
Kwai down
Kwai Jarn down elbow
Kwoon school or gym
-L-
Lap Sao deflecting arm
Lau Sao “scooping hand”; slippery hand Lie Sao “pulling hand”
Lin Lop Sao cross grabbing hand
Lin Sil Die Da simultaneous block and hit
Look Sao rolling hands drill
Lop Sao grabbing hand
Lop Sao Da grabbing hand and hit
Loy inside
Loy Da inside hit
Loy Ha Pak inside arm slapping hand
Luk Sao rolling arms
-M-
Man Sao probing hand; inquisitive hand, lead hand
-N-
Na Locking or submission
Ngoy outside
Ngoy Da outside hit
Ngoy Ha Pak outside low slap
Ngoy Pak Loy Da “split entry”; outside slap and inside hit
Ngoy Pak Sao outside arm slapping hand
-O-
O’ou Chuie “hooking fist”; hook
O’ou Sao “hooking hand”
O’ou Tek “hook kick”; roundhouse kick
O’ou Sao Da hooking hand and hit
-P-
Pak Sao “slapping hand”
Pak Sao Da slapping hand and hit
Pak Sao Ngoy Da slap and hit outside of the arm
Pak Sao Loy Da slap and hit inside of the arm
Phon Sao trapping hands
Ping Chuie “horizontal punch”
-Q-
Qua Chuie back fist
Quan Sao combination of bong sao and Tan Sao (simultaneous)
-S-
Sao hand
Soe Gerk foot sweep
Sot Kil hammerfist
Sou Tek heel hook kick
Sung Da high hit
Sung Loon Sao high horizontal arm block
Sut knee Sut Sao knife-hand strike
-T-
Tan Sao palm-up block
Tan Sao Da palm-up block and hit
Tok Sao lifting hand
Tut Sao freeing hand
-W-
Woang cross
Woang Jern side palm
Woang Pak Sao cross hand slap cover
Wu Sao “defending hand”; rear hand
-Y- Yow right
Concepts
- Arm Resting on Opponent’s with Hit – Fook Da
- Centerline – Jung Seen Choy
- “Energy,” “Spirit” or “Breath,” – Chi
- First Wing Chun Form Called “The Little Idea” – Sil Lim Tao The Way Of The Intercepting Fist – Jeet Kune Do
- Palm up pulling deflection using the edge of the thumb/wrist area (sometimes confused with Tan Sao, though they do look similar) to redirect the force of a linear strike always done from the outside line – Lai Sao
- Simultaneously defend and hit (Lin Sil Dai Dar) – Lin Sil Da
- Stop Hit or Intercepting Hit – Jeet Da
- Straight Blast Meaning Straight Vertical Fist. Used For Overwhelming an Opponent With Vertical Fists Down His Center to Find the Opening Using Forward Energy – Jik Chung Choy
- Low hit – Ha Da
- Middle hit – Jun Da
- High hit – Go Da
Hand Techniques
- Finger Jab – Biu Jee
- Straight Blast – Jik Chung Choy
- Vertical fist – Ch’ung Chuie
- Backfist – Gua Chuie
- Slapping hand – Pak Sao
- Grabbing hand – Lop Sao
- Jerking hand – Jut Sao
- Running Hand – Jao Sao
- Energy Hands – Chi Sao
- Knuckle fist – Chop Choy
- Hooking fist – O’ou Chuie
- Horizontal fist – Ping Chuie
- Centerline – Jung seen choy
- Arm resting on opponents with hit – Fook Da
- Backfist – Gua Choy
- Cross (as in Jab, cross) – Wu Choy
- Extended Knuckle Fist/Punch – Chop Choy
- Fist – Kune
- Hook Punch/Fist – O’ou Choy
- Horizontal Punch/Fist – Ping Choy
- Intercepting Hand, as used with the biceps stop – Jeet Sao
- Jab (lead punch) – Maun Choy
- Later Hammer Fist Strike or a Chop With a Closed Fist – Lao Sing Choy
- Low Slap – Ha Pak
- Outside Cross Slap – Wong Pak
- Slicing hand or commonly known as to Chop – Sut Sao
- Straight Blast – Jik Chung Choy
- Thrusting Fingers – Biu Gee
- Thrusting Hand – Biu Sao
- Uppercut – Jin Choy
- Vertical Fist – Ch’ung Choy
- Vertical Palm Strike – Jern
Foot Techniques
- Kick – Tek
- Front Leg – Maun Tek
- Rear Leg – Wu Tek
- Shin Block – Jeet Gerk
- Back Kick – Hou Tek
- Back Side Kick – Hou Juk Tek
- Heel Kick – So Tek
- Hook Kick – O’ou Tek (sometimes spelled “Now Tek” due to the sound of the word with an almost silent “N”) – (commonly known as a round house kick in other martial art styles) Bruce Lee referred to the round kicks as Hook kicks
- Intercepting Kick – Jeet Tek
- Inverted Hook Kick – Gua Tek
- Rear Kick – Hou Tek
- Side Kick – Juk Tek
- Spin Kick – Juen Tek
- Spinning Heel Kick – Juen So Tek
- Stomp Kick – Dum Tek
- Straight Kick or Front Kick With Toe – Jik Tek
- Straight Kick – Jik Tek
- Side Kick – Juk Tek
- Hook Kick – O’ou Tek
- Rear Kick – Hou Tek
Trapping Hands (Fon Sao)
- Front Hand, Inquisitive hand or asking hand – Maun Sao
- Rear Hand or Protective Hand – Wu Sao
- Circling Hand – Huen Sao
- Deflecting Hand (Raised Elbow) – Boang Sao
- Dummy Hand – Jong Sao
- Elbow – Jang
- Energy Hands/Sticky Hands – Chi Sao
- Grabbing Hand – Lop Sao
- Head Butt – Kou Tao
- Horizontal Deflecting Hand – Fuk Sao or Fook Sao
- Jerking hand – Jut Sao
- Knee Strike – Saat Da
- Lifting Arm/Hand (lifting under the elbow(s) like you would see in the way the Mook Jong forms end) – Tok Sao
- Outer Wrist Block – Gon Sao
- Palm Up Deflecting Hand) – Tan Sao
- Pinning Hand – Gum Sao
- Running Hand – Jao Sao
- Rolling Hands – Lok Sao One Hand Energy Hands Training – Don Chi Sao
- Scooping hand – Cup Sao
- Slapping hand – Pak Sao
- Wing Chung Dummy – Mook Jong