Kung Fu?

[David Jamieson]

What is it?

Please, go on.
:)

[sanjuro_ronin]

Kung = W hore
Fu = banging

:D

[David Jamieson]

We are off to a MIGHTY start.
Next?!

:p

p.s you forgot to add that when the characters kung and fu combine they add the ending words "like a boss"

[Lucas]

thats weird, my teacher must have been dyslexic because i was taught:

kung = banging
fu = w hores


...... :(

[GeneChing]

Here's some real kung fu: Give up evil and do good deeds (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci_hzxEJUlQ)

[RenDaHai]

Gong Fu is any skill honed to marvelous precision.

Through the process and effort required in honing a skill we gain knowledge over ourselves.

The acquisition of self knowledge and realisation is the goal beyond Gong fu.

'From the perpetual pursuit of the highest springs a series of realisations, each of which gives us the joy and pride of conquest. We use these acquired forces, these advantages gained over ourselves , in the realisation of another ideal of a form more nearly perfect' - Yoritomo Minamoto, first Shogun of Japan

[Lucas]

oh wait...thats what i meant. can i change my answer, sanjuro tricked me.

[David Jamieson]

RenDaHai took all the fun out of it before it even got fun... :mad:

:p:D

I was really hoping for someone to post a chop sockey understanding with a chuck norris accent...man, that would have been cool.

but no...

lol

[sanjuro_ronin]

http://rsindex.pictures-hosting.com/2010-08-26/201008262205511478.jpg

[David Jamieson]

Oh, there it is!

You're like a Christ figure or something, all ask and ye shall receive and such... :p

[GeneChing]

http://i05.s2.imagehosting.ws/2010-12-29/586767/767d78b96d72.jpg

Was this a trilogy?

[RenDaHai]

Your right Dave,

'Kung Fu' is the Chinese word for the noises Bruce Lee makes when he fights.

[bawang]

when you take a poo poo and the smell stays on you that is called the kung fu

[PalmStriker]

Also known as: KungfuManchu. Manchurians brought the art to China as a peace offering to usher in the Qing Dynasty. :D

[GeneChing]

@Xiao3 Meng4

Although the Fu -> Man eludes me...

I've heard that explained as the character ren (人) with a doubled pair of arms stretched up towards heaven, implying divine inspiration. Not sure if I buy that, but I've heard it repeatedly.

[wenshu]

http://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/character-etymology.php?searchChinese=1&zi=%E5%A4%AB

Etymology Explorer
夫 [fū, fú] man, male adult, husband; those

Formation
Method

(会意) Associative Compound. A person 大 with hair held together by a hairpin 一.


大 [[dà, dài, tài]] big, great, vast, large, high
一 [[yī]] one; a, an; alone

[GeneChing]

I forgot about that. There's a funny cartoon of that in Fun with Chinese Characters.

That's what kung fu is about. Hairpins. ;)

[wenshu]

Consider 功夫 outside of it's pugilistic context. Interestingly the etymology of 夫 evokes nobility (the hairpin).

In a feudal system the landed aristocracy would be the only ones with the necessary resources to develop 功夫 (in it's cultural cultivation, artistic context). Namely, free time.

Contrary to this, 功夫 as it relates to 武功 could of course be developed outside of the aristocracy through military conscription. Moreover, tradesmen developed and passed on 功夫. Noble pursuits in themselves.

功夫 was arguably a means of social mobility, just as anyone who qualified regardless of status or lineage could take the Imperial Examinations. Again favoring those with the free time to devote to the required disciplines.

功夫 evokes both the aristocratic pursuit of self-cultivation and the ability to improve one's station in life through rigorous effort.

[jdhowland]

Very nice. That explains the association of gung with leisure time.

As for this:


Here's some real kung fu: Give up evil and do good deeds (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci_hzxEJUlQ)

I hadn't seen that before. I have a pipa. I should learn pipa gung.

[wenshu]

One could draw a connection.

However, while 功 gōng & 空 kòng are nearly h0mophones, voiced (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiced_velar_plosive) and voiceless velar stops (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiceless_velar_plosive) are distinct phonemes in Mandarin phonology (http://www.zein.se/patrick/chinen8p.html). (Edit: I am mistaken about this, it is a difference in aspiration not voice therefore unaspirated and aspirated velar stops are distinct phonemes, voiced velar stops don't exist in Mandarin.)

I have no authoritative basis for the following assumption but I think 有空 meaning to have free time is a relatively recent colloquial addition to the vernacular.