What's the Difference?

[Luthen_inadon]

What's the difference between Kung Fu and Gung Fu?

[SoKKlab]

Spelling.

[YODA]

"G" :D

Both western romanisations of the same thing

[shunyadragon]

Neither should be used to describe a Martial Arts style or school.
They both should be translated as the skills and knowledge acquired through lessons practice and training. The Arts of the Way described as K(G)ung Fu are best described a Chuan Fa or Wu Shu (Wushu)

[Luthen_inadon]

OK, Chuan Fa is understandable however Wushu is not an original Chinese art

[Noob]

Isn't Wu Shu/Wu Su the Mandarin pronounciation for Kung Fu (The literal translation). I don't speak Mandarin by the way, I just have a book with some translations in.

[zhaoyun1122]

Wu stands for martial ...
Su .. haha no clue .. :)

Chuan (Quan) means fist
Fa .. again no clue .. :)

Gong Fu (== kung fu == gung fu) (in the actual pinyin) is itself mandarin. but like Shunyadragon said, it means "good skill developed over time and hard work".

You could have good cooking gong fu.

Wushu is the new term used by the communist government to try to revive a national heritage they destroyed.

About the names of the styles, you say
"Shaolin Kung Fu" in english .. but in chinese, you'd say Shao Lin Quan meaning shaolin fist. :) like

Cha Quan (cha)
Bai He Quan (white crane)

mind u Wing Chun, Chun doesn't stand for fist ...

sorry I'm blabbing .. need sleep. lol :) hope it helped tho!

[Shaolin Dragon]

Kung fu is translated as hard work or skill. Gung (Gong) fu is the Chinese pronunciation. Wu Shu is translated as martial skills. Chuan Fa is translated as the way of the fist (I think).

Chuan Fa and Wu Shu are better terms to describe kung Fu in China than kung fu, which can apply to anything.

Modern wushu as a style is generaly percieved to be an accrobatic style with little combat application, but the term wushu can be taken to mean "Chinese martial art."

The term kung fu is a westernisation - chinese styles do not use the term, (e.g. I study mok ka kung fu, but it would more accurately be called mok ka chuan, or Mok style fist).

Hope that clears up a few things for you, and I'm sure I will be corrected if any of this info. is inaccurate.

[Noob]

Originally posted by zhaoyun1122
mind u Wing Chun, Chun doesn't stand for fist ... Isn't the full name of Wing Chun, Wing Chun Kuen (I think that translates to Beautifull Springtime Fist or somesuch).

[shunyadragon]

Wushu is better translated as Martial Arts. All the other Arts of the Orient should not be defined as Wushu or Martial Arts. Gung (Kung) Fu is best translated as the skills and knowledge developed in any disapline.

Wushu as praticed in Shaolin is a State sponsored acrobatic circus.

[shunyadragon]

Wuyi in Chinese means the skills and knowledge acquired through studying wushu.

[zhaoyun1122]

Yeah .. Wing Chun Kuen

I think Kuen is cantonese for quan (which is mandarin).

[imperial_guardz]

Kuen is the Cantonese equivalent for Mandarin Chuan...yes that is correct...and yes Wing Chun Kuen is correct

If you get someone who speaks chinese to say the words Œ÷ •v,
they will prounce it "gung fu"...which can be written as Kung Fu, Gong Fu, Gung Fu...and many other various forms depending on how you interpret it.

Wu Shu-->means literally, Military Art or...Martial Arts

The modern Wu Shu sport should actually be called
Xiang Wu Shu...but it has been shorten to wu shu for convience purposes...

[imperial_guardz]

arg...chinese characters won't appear on the forum...darn...
so ignore the funny characters above...

[shunyadragon]

Originally posted by imperial_guardz
Kuen is the Cantonese equivalent for Mandarin Chuan...yes that is correct...and yes Wing Chun Kuen is correct

If you get someone who speaks chinese to say the words Œ÷ •v,
they will prounce it "gung fu"...which can be written as Kung Fu, Gong Fu, Gung Fu...and many other various forms depending on how you interpret it.

Wu Shu-->means literally, Military Art or...Martial Arts

The modern Wu Shu sport should actually be called
Xiang Wu Shu...but it has been shorten to wu shu for convience purposes...

:confused:

Xiang Wushu?

How is xiang used in this context. It is not used today in China or in any older references I know of. Xiang depending on what character is used may refer to: (1) Theory (?). (2) Place name, but unlikely. (3) xiangfu - pledge ones qllegiance to or submit to. (4) Elephant or minister in the ancient Chinese government. (5) Rules. Could it be 'Rules for Martial Arts'.

There are many more Chinese words pronounced Xiang.

What is the sourse of this term for Wushu?