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Where does the word "kung fu" come from? It comes from Chinese gōngfu, and was adopted directly into English (1960s-1970s).
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Where does the word "kung fu" come from? It comes from Chinese gōngfu, and was adopted directly into English (1960s-1970s).
Kung fu’s story begins in Chinese: gōngfu meant “skill through hard work.” Literally "skill achieved through effort and time". It reached English by 1960s-1970s as kung fu. Popularized in the West through martial arts films. Today, kung fu means a family of Chinese martial arts.
- Stage 1 · Chinese · ancient gōngfu "skill through hard work", literally "skill achieved through effort and time".
- Stage 2 · English · 1960s-1970s kung fu "Chinese martial arts", popularized in the West through martial arts films.