EtymologyMap
Back to all words

Trace the journey of words

Today it means

sifu

a title of respect for a skilled teacher, especially in Chinese martial arts

Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Drag to rotate

Where does the word "sifu" come from? It comes from Cantonese sīfú, and was adopted directly into English (1970s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "sifu" come from? It comes from Cantonese sīfú, and was adopted directly into English (1970s).

Sifu’s story begins in Cantonese: sīfú meant “a martial-arts master or teacher.” Meaning 'master' or 'skilled teacher', a respectful title for an instructor. It reached English by 1970s as sifu. Spread into English through kung fu films and martial-arts schools. Today, sifu means a title of respect for a skilled teacher, especially in Chinese martial arts.

  1. Stage 1 · Cantonese · ancient sīfú "a martial-arts master or teacher", meaning 'master' or 'skilled teacher', a respectful title for an instructor.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1970s sifu "a martial-arts teacher, especially in Chinese styles", spread into English through kung fu films and martial-arts schools.

Browse by origin