Wushu
/ˈwuː.ʃuː/noun
A Chinese martial-arts system or the broader practice of Chinese martial arts.
Did you know?The term wushu was historically broad rather than the name of one single style, encompassing Chinese fighting methods, weapons training, and combat exercises.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese
武術
“Martial or military arts; techniques of warfare and combat”
Late Imperial China
Chinese
武術
“A broad term for practiced fighting methods, including unarmed combat and weapons training”
20th Century
Mandarin Chinese
wǔshù
“Standard Mandarin pronunciation of 武術”
1950s–1960s
Mandarin Chinese
武术 / wǔshù
“A standardized term increasingly used in China for organized Chinese martial-arts practice and competition”
Modern English
English
wushu
“A loanword for Chinese martial arts, especially the standardized contemporary sport and performance forms”