Essential Chinese Terms for Wudang Practice
Training in the Wudang tradition means training with Chinese terminology. Instructions are given in Chinese. Forms have Chinese names. Concepts are expressed in Chinese because the English approximations often lose essential meaning. This article covers the most important terms a beginning student needs, organized by category, with pronunciation guidance.
Pronunciation Basics
Chinese terms in this wiki use Pīnyīn (拼音), the standard romanization system. A few critical pronunciation rules that differ from English:
Tones matter. Mandarin has four tones plus a neutral tone. The same syllable with a different tone is a completely different word. Qì (气, fourth tone, falling) means energy. Qí (齐, second tone, rising) means even or aligned. Context usually clarifies, but awareness of tones improves communication with teachers significantly.
Q is pronounced like "ch" in "cheese" — not like English "q." So Qì sounds like "chee" (falling tone), and Quán sounds like "chwen."
X is pronounced like "sh" but with the tongue behind the lower teeth — a sound between English "sh" and "s." Xíngyì sounds roughly like "shing-yee."
Zh is a retroflex "j" — the tongue curls back. Zhàn Zhuāng sounds roughly like "jan jwahng."
C is pronounced like "ts" in "cats." Cì (thrust) sounds like "tsuh."
The ü sound (written as "u" after j, q, x, y) is produced by shaping the lips to say "oo" while trying to say "ee." Quán contains this sound: "chwen" with rounded lips.
Body and Energy Terms
| Chinese | Pīnyīn | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 气 | Qì | Vital energy, breath, life force |
| 丹田 | Dāntián | Energy center (literally "elixir field") |
| 精 | Jīng | Essence, the densest vital substance |
| 神 | Shén | Spirit, consciousness, awareness |
| 劲 | Jìn | Trained force, martial energy |
| 腰 | Yāo | Waist — the center of rotational power |
| 胯 | Kuà | Hip crease, inguinal fold |
| 百会 | Bǎihuì | Crown point, top of the head |
| 涌泉 | Yǒngquán | Bubbling Spring point, center of the sole |
Training Terms
| Chinese | Pīnyīn | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 功夫 | Gōngfu | Skill through effort over time |
| 基本功 | Jīběn Gōng | Fundamental training exercises |
| 套路 | Tàolù | Form, a choreographed sequence |
| 站桩 | Zhàn Zhuāng | Standing meditation/post |
| 气功 | Qìgōng | Energy cultivation practice |
| 内功 | Nèigōng | Internal skill, deep energy work |
| 推手 | Tuīshǒu | Push Hands, partner sensitivity training |
| 拳 | Quán | Fist, or a martial art system |
| 练 | Liàn | To train, to practice, to refine |
| 松 | Sōng | Release, relaxation under structure |
Stances
| Chinese | Pīnyīn | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 马步 | Mǎbù | Horse stance |
| 弓步 | Gōngbù | Bow stance (front-weighted lunge) |
| 虚步 | Xūbù | Empty stance (rear-weighted) |
| 仆步 | Pūbù | Dropping stance (low side squat) |
| 歇步 | Xiēbù | Resting stance (crossed legs) |
| 步法 | Bùfǎ | Footwork methods |
Philosophical and Cosmological Terms
| Chinese | Pīnyīn | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 道 | Dào | The Way, the fundamental principle |
| 无极 | Wújí | The limitless void, before polarity |
| 太极 | Tàijí | Supreme Ultimate, unified Yīn-Yáng |
| 两仪 | Liǎng Yí | Two Extremes, separated Yīn-Yáng |
| 阴 | Yīn | Receptive, yielding, interior, dark |
| 阳 | Yáng | Active, expanding, exterior, bright |
| 五行 | Wǔxíng | Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) |
| 八卦 | Bāguà | Eight Trigrams |
| 无为 | Wú Wéi | Non-action, acting without forcing |
Martial Terms
| Chinese | Pīnyīn | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 武术 | Wǔshù | Martial arts (general term) |
| 内家 | Nèijiā | Internal school of martial arts |
| 外家 | Wàijiā | External school of martial arts |
| 发力 | Fālì | Power emission, releasing force |
| 发劲 | Fājìn | Releasing trained force (same concept as Fālì) |
| 听劲 | Tīng Jìn | Listening energy — sensing through touch |
| 化劲 | Huà Jìn | Neutralizing energy — dissolving force |
| 拳术 | Quánshù | Fist techniques, empty-hand methods |
Tàijíquán Specific Terms
| Chinese | Pīnyīn | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 掤 | Péng | Ward Off — expanding, upward energy |
| 捋 | Lǚ | Roll Back — yielding, redirecting energy |
| 挤 | Jǐ | Press — forward, squeezing energy |
| 按 | Àn | Push — downward, sinking energy |
| 采 | Cǎi | Pluck — seizing, pulling energy |
| 挒 | Liè | Split — twisting, separating energy |
| 肘 | Zhǒu | Elbow — close-range striking |
| 靠 | Kào | Shoulder — body-strike energy |
| 缠丝劲 | Chán Sī Jìn | Silk reeling energy, spiral force |
| 十三势 | Shísān Shì | Thirteen Postures |
Weapon Terms
| Chinese | Pīnyīn | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 剑 | Jiàn | Straight (double-edged) sword |
| 刀 | Dāo | Sabre (single-edged blade) |
| 枪 | Qiāng | Spear |
| 棍 | Gùn | Staff |
| 剑诀 | Jiàn Jué | Sword finger hand position |
Commands and Instructions
Terms a teacher commonly uses during class:
| Chinese | Pīnyīn | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 预备 | Yùbèi | Prepare, ready position |
| 走 | Zǒu | Go, start now (used to signal "begin") |
| 起势 | Qǐ Shì | Opening posture, begin |
| 收势 | Shōu Shì | Closing posture, finish |
| 放松 | Fàngsōng | Relax, let go of tension |
| 再来 | Zài Lái | Again, one more time |
| 慢 | Màn | Slow, slower |
| 快 | Kuài | Fast, faster |
| 沉 | Chén | Sink, drop the weight down |
| 好 | Hǎo | Good |
| 注意 | Zhùyì | Pay attention, be mindful |
| 呼吸 | Hūxī | Breathe, breathing |
Lineage Terms
| Chinese | Pīnyīn | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 师父 | Shīfu | Master, teacher (formal, implies lineage bond) |
| 师兄 | Shīxiōng | Senior fellow student (male) |
| 师姐 | Shījiě | Senior fellow student (female) |
| 师弟 | Shīdì | Junior fellow student (male) |
| 师妹 | Shīmèi | Junior fellow student (female) |
| 三丰派 | Sānfēngpài | The Sānfēng Lineage |
| 武当山 | Wǔdāng Shān | Wudang Mountain |
Tips for Learning
Listen first. Before trying to produce Chinese sounds, spend time listening to your teacher and more experienced students. Let the sounds enter your ear before you attempt to shape them with your mouth.
Learn terms in context. Memorizing vocabulary lists is less effective than learning terms as they arise in training. When the teacher says "Fàngsōng" while correcting your stance, you learn both the word and its physical meaning simultaneously.
Do not be afraid of mistakes. Chinese pronunciation is genuinely difficult for speakers of European languages. Teachers appreciate the effort and will correct you gently. No one expects perfection — but consistent small effort to use correct terminology shows respect for the tradition.
Start with the terms you hear most. Your teacher's most frequent instructions are the most important terms to learn first. These will vary depending on your school and level, but Fàngsōng (relax), Sōng (release), Chén (sink), and Màn (slow) appear in almost every class.