Taijiquan
/ˌtaɪ.dʒiːˈtʃwɑːn/noun
A Chinese internal martial art characterized by slow, continuous movements, balance, and breath control.
Did you know?The term’s philosophical core, taiji, became central to Neo-Confucian cosmology, where it describes the ultimate generative principle from which yin and yang unfold.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese, before 1st century BCE
Old Chinese
太極 (*tʰˁaj kˁək)
“The Supreme Ultimate or highest culminating principle; the exact early pronunciation is reconstructed.”
1st–2nd Century CE
Classical Chinese
太極 (tàijí)
“The Supreme Ultimate, a cosmological principle associated with the generation and ordering of yin and yang.”
11th–12th Century
宋 Chinese
太極 (tàijí)
“A central Neo-Confucian concept describing the ultimate principle underlying the cosmos and its transformations.”
17th Century
Chinese
太極拳 (tàijíquán)
“Literally, “fist of the Supreme Ultimate”; the term became associated with Chinese martial practice, especially traditions linked to Chen-style boxing.”
19th Century
Chinese
太極拳 (tàijíquán)
“An established name for a family of internal martial arts emphasizing relaxed, continuous movement, alignment, and sensitivity.”
20th Century
Modern English
taijiquan
“The pinyin romanization adopted internationally for the martial art; “tai chi” remains the common English form.”