Wudang training uses stance names constantly. A teacher may call for horse stance, bow stance, empty stance, crouching stance, resting stance, T-stance, or single-leg stance. The names are short in Chinese, but they tell the student how the feet, weight, height, and direction are organized.

This article gives the core Chinese vocabulary for recognizing stance terms in class. It is not a full stance-training guide. The goal is to understand what the words mean, how they combine, and how they appear in corrections, form names, and transition practice.

Core Stance Words (步型 Bùxíng)

步 (Bù) is the key word. It can mean a step, a pace, or a stance depending on context. In 马步 (Mǎ Bù), it names a stance. In 上步 (Shàng Bù), it describes stepping forward. In 一步一步 (Yī Bù Yī Bù), it means step by step.

步型 (Bùxíng) is the shape or type of stance. It answers the question: what stance is this? 步法 (Bùfǎ) is the method of stepping and changing. A student may hold one 步型, then use 步法 to move into the next posture.

下盘 (Xiàpán) means the lower frame: the foundation created by the feet, legs, hips, and center of gravity. When the 下盘 is stable, the upper body can move without losing root.

Common Stance Names

马步 (Mǎ Bù) literally means horse step or horse stance. 弓步 (Gōng Bù) means bow stance; 弓 (Gōng) is a bow. 虚步 (Xū Bù) means empty stance, where the lighter foot can step, kick, or change.

仆步 (Pū Bù) is a low crouching stance. 歇步 (Xiē Bù) is commonly translated as resting stance, but in martial forms it is a compact crossed stance that gathers the body before a change, turn, or release.

丁步 (Dīng Bù) is T-stance. 丁 (Dīng) is a character shaped like a T. 独立步 (Dú Lì Bù) means single-leg stance: one leg supports the body while the other leg is lifted.

Left, Right, Front, and Back

Stance names often begin with 左 (Zuǒ, left) or 右 (Yòu, right). The side usually refers to the lead leg, the main direction of the stance, or the side emphasized in that movement. The exact side can depend on the form and the teacher's naming convention, so the student should listen to the whole instruction.

前 (Qián) and 后 (Hòu) clarify the relationship between the feet. 前脚 (Qián Jiǎo) is the front foot. 后脚 (Hòu Jiǎo) is the rear foot. These words are useful in bow stance, empty stance, and stepping transitions.

Full and Empty

虚实 (Xū Shí) is one of the most important pairs in internal practice. In stance language, 实 usually refers to the leg that carries more weight. 虚 refers to the leg that remains lighter. A student who hears 分清虚实 should make the weight distribution clearer, not merely lower the body.

重心 (Zhòngxīn) is the center of gravity or weight center. 换重心 means to change the center of gravity. In a form, this may happen before a step, during a turn, or while changing from one stance to another. The change should be controlled, not dropped suddenly.

Height and Stability

Stance corrections often concern height. 高 (Gāo) and 低 (Dī) are simple words, but they do not mean every student must train at the same depth. A stance should be low enough to train structure without collapsing the knees, hips, spine, or breath.

下沉 (Xià Chén) means to sink downward: the weight settles through the legs while the upper body remains organized. 站稳 (Zhàn Wěn) and 稳住 (Wěn Zhù) point to stability when the stance wobbles, changes too early, or loses its lower frame.

Foot and Knee Phrases

The stance name alone is not enough. Foot and knee phrases refine the base. 膝盖对脚尖 means the knee and toes face the same line. 脚跟 (Jiǎogēn), the heel, and 脚掌 (Jiǎozhǎng), the sole, are heard often in stepping and stance work.

扣脚 and 摆脚 are important in turning. 扣脚 draws or hooks the foot inward. 摆脚 opens or swings the foot outward. These small foot changes prepare the hips and waist to turn without twisting the knee.

Common Classroom Corrections

These phrases combine stance names, body parts, direction words, and quality words. A student does not need to translate every character separately. It is enough to hear the stance, the body part, and the correction quality.

要 (Yào) often means "should" or "needs to." 不要 (Bù Yào) means "do not." When a correction begins with 不要, the teacher is usually stopping an error.

稳 (Wěn) is a key word in stance work. It means steady, stable, and settled. A stable stance is not frozen. It is organized enough that the next movement can begin without panic or extra adjustment.

Practice Method

When practicing, identify the stance name before adding speed. Ask three questions: what is the 步型, where is the 重心, and which leg is 虚 or 实? This makes the lower body clear before the hands become busy.

Then listen for side words and correction words. 左 and 右 tell the direction. 高 and 低 tell the height. 稳, 松, 沉, and 不要晃 tell the quality. Foot and knee phrases refine the base. In form practice, the stance term gives the general lower-body map; the teacher's correction gives the exact method.

The goal is not to memorize a vocabulary list separately from practice. The goal is to hear a short Chinese stance correction and let the body respond directly: the foot adjusts, the knee aligns, the weight settles, the empty leg becomes light, and the stance becomes ready for the next movement.