The word for kung fu forms

[Mr Nunchaku]

I am doing a paper on the martial arts and I was wondering what the Chinese word for forms or patterns is. I appreciate it.

[GLW]

Taolu

[David Jamieson]

also, -Kuen-.

[Chinwoo-er]

Forms, Sets, Taolus, Routines, and if the person who is marking your paper is a patriot Japanese, katas.

[guohuen]

I believe kuen is guangdonghua for fist or fist style, quan in potanghua. Taolu would be potanghua for forms.

[David Jamieson]

yes, kuen is a cantonese word for "sets", but it does mean "fist method". Same as Chuan as in Chuan Fa, and also means just "fist".

It's quite common for the Southern styles to use the term "Kuen" when talking of forms or sets.

peace

[guohuen]

Thanks!