WUSHU

TileHead’s Word of the Day for 9 November 2011

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WUSHU  (n. pl. WUSHU)

Definition(s):

1. (n.) Chinese martial arts
2. (n.) A modern exhibition and full-contact sport based on traditional Chinese martial arts

Useful information for game players:

• Front hooks: (none)
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• Anagrams: (none)
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• Wraparounds: (none)
• Other Spellings: (none)
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Epilogue:
WUSHU and kung fu are sometimes used synonymously to mean “Chinese martial arts,” but many experts draw important distinctions between the two.  For example, WUSHU is the term more properly used for the sport of martial arts, often with an emphasis on form and style, while kung fu is the term more properly used for various systems of self defense, often with an emphasis on effective or real-world fighting ability. 

WUSHU derives from wu (“martial or military”) and shu (“discipline or art”) and until the mid-twentieth century was used primarily to refer to military affairs.  Kung fu simply means “skill or art” — one could be said to have good Scrabble kung fu, for example — though in the Western consciousness it has come to be strongly associated with the martial arts.

This week’s theme: Words starting with the letter W

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