taekwondo

Where does the word "taekwondo" come from? It comes from Korean tae + kwon + do, and was adopted directly into English (1960s-1970s).

Taekwondo’s story begins in Korean: tae + kwon + do meant “the way of the foot and fist.” Combining "tae" (kick), "kwon" (fist), and "do" (way). It reached English by 1960s-1970s as taekwondo. Korean 'the way of foot and fist', named in 1955; an Olympic sport since 2000. Today, taekwondo means a Korean martial art and Olympic sport known for its emphasis on kicking.

1. Stage 1 · Korean · 1950s tae + kwon + do "the way of the foot and fist", combining "tae" (kick), "kwon" (fist), and "do" (way).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1960s-1970s taekwondo "a Korean martial art emphasizing kicks", Korean 'the way of foot and fist', named in 1955; an Olympic sport since 2000.