The Language of Wing Chun: A Glossary for Beginners and Enthusiasts
Updated: Aug 24
Wing Chun has its own language. Terms such as Tan Sau, Chi Sau, Siu Nim Tao and Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma can seem unfamiliar when you first begin training, but each describes part of the movements, principles, relationships and training methods that make up the art.
Learning these terms isn't simply about memorising Chinese names. As our training develops, the words give us a shared language for understanding and discussing what we practise.
This glossary introduces some of the terminology commonly encountered in Wing Chun, from core principles and traditional relationships to forms, hand methods, partner exercises and footwork. Some terminology and interpretations vary between lineages, but together these terms provide a useful introduction to the language of Wing Chun.
🌱Core Concepts & Principles
Wing Chun (詠春)
Wing Chun is built around efficiency, adaptability and learning to work intelligently with force rather than relying on strength alone. Imagine facing an incoming strike, not simply meeting it with greater force, but responding through structure, timing and appropriate movement. You learn to recognise what is happening, adapt and respond to the moment.
Centreline Theory
Imagine an invisible line running vertically through the centre of your body. In Wing Chun, the centreline provides an important reference for understanding position, attack and defence. We learn to protect our own centre while finding efficient pathways towards our opponent.
Centreline theory helps us understand why many Wing Chun movements are direct and economical. Rather than treating it as a rigid rule, it gives us a reference for understanding position, angle and movement.
Structure
Structure is the quiet strength beneath every technique. Through alignment and connection, we learn to organise the body so that force can be received and expressed efficiently. Wing Chun isn't about relying on brute strength; it is about learning to use the body intelligently.
Picture a tree rooted firmly in the earth: stable enough to withstand pressure, yet flexible enough to move when necessary. Good structure is not rigidity. It provides a connected and adaptable foundation for movement.
Ging (勁) – Energy / Trained Power
Ging refers to energy, strength or power. In Chinese martial arts, the term is commonly used more specifically to describe trained or refined power rather than strength produced through muscular effort alone.
In Wing Chun, Ging develops through qualities such as structure, relaxation, intention and coordinated movement. As our training develops, we learn to express power more efficiently through the body rather than simply trying to use more strength.
Gam Ying (感應) – Sensitivity / Sensing and Responding
Gam Ying refers to sensing and responding. In Wing Chun, this quality is developed particularly through partner training such as Chi Sau (Sticking Hands), where contact provides information about pressure, direction, movement and changes in a partner's structure.
With practice, we become better at recognising these changes and responding appropriately rather than relying only on what we can see. Sensitivity develops through attentive contact, experience and continual practice.
Together, these principles form part of the foundation of Wing Chun: a system of movement, structure, awareness and connection. But understanding the principles is only the beginning. Wing Chun is learned through practice, through our relationships with teachers and training partners, and through the forms and training methods that carry the art forward.
🧭People & Lineage
Sifu (師父) – Teacher / Kung Fu Father
Sifu is the traditional term used for a teacher within the martial arts family. More than simply teaching techniques, a Sifu guides a student's development through training, passing on knowledge, principles and the traditions of the art.
The relationship carries responsibilities on both sides. The teacher provides instruction and guidance, while the student approaches the training with respect, commitment and a willingness to learn. In this way, Wing Chun is passed from one generation of practitioners to the next.
Si Hing / Si Dai (師兄 / 師弟) – Senior / Junior Kung Fu Brothers
Si Hing and Si Dai describe senior and junior male students within the martial arts family. The distinction is based on training seniority rather than age. A Si Hing entered the family before you; a Si Dai entered after you.
These relationships are not simply about rank. Senior students can help guide and support those with less experience, while everyone continues learning and developing together.
Si Je / Si Mui (師姐 / 師妹) – Senior / Junior Kung Fu Sisters
Si Je and Si Mui describe senior and junior female students within the martial arts family. Like Si Hing and Si Dai, the relationship reflects training seniority rather than age.
Together, these terms reflect the traditional idea of the martial family: people connected not simply by attending the same class, but through a shared teacher, lineage and practice.
Si Gung (師公) – Sifu's Sifu / Kung Fu Grandfather
Si Gung refers to your Sifu's Sifu, your teacher's teacher within the martial family. The term reflects the generational nature of traditional martial arts lineage and acknowledges the teachers through whom the art has been passed down.
Toh Dai (徒弟) – Student / Disciple
Toh Dai refers to a student, apprentice or disciple learning under a teacher. In traditional Chinese martial arts, the term can carry a stronger sense of the teacher–student relationship than simply attending a class, although its precise use varies between schools and lineages.
In some traditions, a distinction is made between ordinary students and formally accepted disciples, often associated with a Bai Si ceremony. For this reason, Toh Dai should not automatically be understood to mean that a formal discipleship ceremony has taken place.
Kwoon (館) – Training Hall or School
Kwoon is the Cantonese term commonly used for a training hall or martial arts school. It refers to the physical place where students come together to learn and practise, but the idea can also carry a sense of the community formed through shared training.
A kwoon is more than a room with mats; it’s a place where skills are developed, relationships are formed and the traditions of the art are passed from teacher to student.
Understanding the people and lineage of Wing Chun reminds us that the art is never simply a solo practice. It is a living tradition passed from teacher to student and shared between generations of practitioners. These relationships give context, continuity and a human connection to the art we practise.
🥋Forms & Training Tools
With the principles and relationships in mind, we step into the heart of Wing Chun practice: the forms and training tools through which many of the art's principles are explored and developed. Each form, training method and weapon provides a different context for developing qualities such as structure, coordination, timing, movement and power.
Siu Nim Tao (小念頭) – “Little Idea” / First Form
Siu Nim Tao is the first empty-hand form of Wing Chun and provides a foundation for much of what follows. Through deliberate practice, students explore basic hand positions, centreline principles, structure, relaxation and the relationship between intention and movement.
Because much of the form is practised without stepping, attention can be directed towards the organisation of the body and the quality of each movement. What appears simple at first can continue to reveal greater depth as the practitioner's understanding develops.
Chum Kiu (尋橋) – “Seeking the Bridge” / Second Form
Chum Kiu introduces movement of the body through turning and stepping while developing the ability to maintain structure and coordination in motion. The idea of “seeking the bridge” relates to establishing and working with contact between ourselves and an opponent.
The form develops the integration of the hands, body and footwork, teaching us to move as a connected whole rather than treating individual techniques as separate actions.
Biu Jee (標指) – “Thrusting Fingers” / Third Form
Biu Jee is the third empty-hand form of Wing Chun. It introduces movements and methods that extend beyond the foundations established in Siu Nim Tao and Chum Kiu, including greater use of the elbows, changes in body position and methods of expressing power at different ranges.
Biu Jee is often associated with recovering position or structure when the preferred principles of Wing Chun have been compromised. Interpretations of the form vary between lineages, but it represents a further development of the movement, coordination and power explored through the earlier forms.
Mook Yan Jong (木人樁) – Wooden Dummy
The Mook Yan Jong, or wooden dummy, is one of Wing Chun's best-known training tools. Its fixed arms, body and leg provide a consistent structure against which students can practise positioning, angles, footwork and the coordination of hands and body.
The dummy does not replace partner training. Instead, it provides a way to repeatedly explore movement and structure against a physical reference, helping students refine how they position themselves in relation to an opponent.
Luk Dim Boon Gwun (六點半棍) – Six-and-a-Half Point Pole
The Luk Dim Boon Gwun is Wing Chun's long-pole method. Training with the pole develops structure, coordination, power and an understanding of distance while requiring the body to work as a connected whole.
Because of the pole's length and weight, inefficient movement quickly becomes apparent. The practitioner learns to control and direct the weapon through coordinated movement of the hands, body and stance rather than relying on the arms alone.
Baat Jaam Do (八斬刀) – Eight-Cutting Knives / Butterfly Knives
The Baat Jaam Do are the paired knives traditionally associated with Wing Chun. Training with them develops coordination, footwork, positioning, precision and the ability to move the weapons together with the body.
The knives extend many familiar Wing Chun principles into weapons practice, while also introducing the demands of working with cutting weapons, different ranges and angles. As with the long pole, the weapons provide another context through which the practitioner can explore and refine the underlying principles of the art.
Through the forms and training tools, Wing Chun principles are explored in different ways. The empty-hand forms provide a framework for developing the body and movement; the wooden dummy provides a physical reference for positioning and angles; and the weapons introduce new demands of distance, coordination and power. Each becomes another way of returning to, testing and refining the principles that run through the art.
✋ Wing Chun Hand Techniques Glossary
In Wing Chun, the hands are central to both defence and attack. Each method provides a different way of controlling space, responding to pressure and creating opportunities to attack.
Practising these hand methods develops structure, coordination, sensitivity and timing. Through partner training, the hands also become a means of gathering information through contact, allowing us to recognise changes in pressure, direction and movement.
Hand Techniques Glossary
Lap Sau (拉手) – Pulling / Grabbing Hand: A pulling action used to control or move an opponent's arm and create an opening. Its effectiveness depends on timing, position and maintaining your own structure rather than simply pulling with muscular strength.
Man Sau (問手) – Asking / Searching Hand: A forward hand used to establish position, distance and contact. The name carries the idea of “asking the question”, allowing the practitioner to gain information from the opponent's response.
Wu Sau (護手) – Protecting / Guarding Hand: A protective hand position used to guard the centre while remaining ready to respond. Wu Sau is particularly prominent in Siu Nim Tao and provides a useful expression of Wing Chun's emphasis on structure, position and readiness.
Tan Sau (攤手) – Dispersing Hand: One of Wing Chun's fundamental hand positions. Rather than being understood as a fixed block, Tan Sau uses its structure and direction to disperse or redirect pressure while maintaining an effective position.
Bong Sau (膀手) – Wing Arm: A distinctive Wing Chun arm position used to respond to pressure when a direct path is unavailable. Bong Sau is transitional rather than a position to hold; it allows the practitioner to redirect pressure and continue into the next appropriate action.
Fook Sau (伏手) – Subduing / Controlling Hand: A fundamental hand position particularly familiar from Siu Nim Tao and Chi Sau. Fook Sau provides a context for developing forward intention, structure, contact and sensitivity without relying on excessive muscular tension.
Pak Sau (拍手) – Slapping Hand: A short slapping or redirecting action used to clear or control an obstruction. Effective Pak Sau relies on timing, direction and appropriate force rather than simply striking the opponent's arm.
Jum Sau (沉手) – Sinking Hand: A sinking action used to control or redirect force while maintaining structure and position. The name describes the quality and direction of the action rather than a single fixed application.
Tok Sau (托手) – Supporting / Lifting Hand: An upward supporting or lifting action. Depending on the situation, Tok Sau can be used to influence an opponent's arm or structure from underneath.
Gum Sau (撳手) – Pressing / Pinning Hand: A downward pressing action used to control or pin an opponent's arm or influence their structure.
Fak Sau (拂手) – Whisking / Whipping Hand: A fast, sweeping or whipping action of the arm. Fak Sau can be used to strike or clear across a line, with the precise application depending on position and circumstance.
Jut Sau (窒手) – Jerking / Stopping Hand: A short, sharp action used to disrupt or control an opponent's arm through contact. Jut Sau characteristically uses a sudden jerking or stopping action to affect the opponent's structure or movement.
Huen Sau (圈手) – Circling Hand: A circling action of the hand and wrist used to change position around contact, recover or change a line, and transition between hand positions. Huen Sau appears prominently in Wing Chun forms and helps develop relaxed, precise movement around the point of contact.
Biu Sau (標手) – Thrusting / Darting Hand: A direct extending action used to intercept, attack or recover a line. Biu Sau emphasises directness and can be adapted according to the position and circumstances rather than being limited to a single application.
Charn Sau (撐手) – Supporting / Bracing Hand: An extending or supporting action used to create structure and influence force or position. The precise use and interpretation of Charn Sau varies between Wing Chun lineages, so it is better understood by the quality of the action than as one prescribed technique.
Garn Sau (耕手) – Ploughing / Dividing Hand: A diagonal action used to cover, divide or redirect through a line of attack. Garn Sau is commonly associated with protecting and controlling the lower or side gate and is often practised in coordination with other hand movements.
Lan Sau (攔手) – Barring Arm: A barring or obstructing action used to control space, intercept movement or influence an opponent's position. Although commonly grouped with Wing Chun hand techniques, Lan Sau involves the structure of the forearm and body rather than simply the hand.
Kwan Sau (捆手) – Rotating / Bundling Arms: A coordinated action commonly involving Bong Sau and Tan Sau working together while the body changes position. Kwan Sau demonstrates how individual Wing Chun hand methods can combine and transform in response to pressure rather than functioning as isolated techniques.
Ann Tok Sau (暗托手) – Hidden Supporting Hand: A less universally standardised Wing Chun term referring to a concealed or subtle supporting action. Its specific application varies between lineages, so the term is best understood within the teaching context in which it is used.
Tai Sau (提手) – Raising Hand: An upward action used to raise or influence an opponent's arm or bridge. The term describes the raising quality of the movement and should not be confused with Tok Sau, although both can involve upward force.
Training Exercises
Learning the individual hand methods is only part of Wing Chun training. Partner exercises provide the opportunity to explore these movements through contact, developing qualities such as structure, sensitivity, timing, distance and the ability to respond to changing pressure.
Dan Chi Sau (單黐手) – Single Sticking Hands: Dan Chi Sau is a structured single-arm partner exercise used to introduce some of the fundamental qualities developed through Chi Sau. Students learn to maintain contact while exploring structure, relaxation, forward intention and changes in pressure through a controlled sequence.
Chi Sau (黐手) – Sticking Hands: Chi Sau, or Sticking Hands, is one of Wing Chun's best-known partner training methods. Through continuous contact with a training partner's arms, practitioners develop sensitivity to changes in pressure, direction and movement while learning to maintain their own structure and position.
Chi Sau is not simply a competition to overpower a partner, nor is it fighting in itself. It provides a training environment in which Wing Chun principles can be explored dynamically through touch.
Luk Sau (碌手) – Rolling Hands: Luk Sau refers to the rolling action commonly practised as part of Chi Sau training. Partners maintain continuous contact while cycling through characteristic Wing Chun arm positions, providing a structured environment for developing relaxation, structure, coordination and sensitivity to changes in pressure.
As with Chi Sau more broadly, the rolling pattern is a training method rather than an end in itself. It provides a framework from which practitioners can learn to recognise and respond to changes through contact.
Dap Sau (搭手) – Joining / Making Contact with the Hands: Dap Sau refers to making or establishing contact with another person's arm or hand. Depending on the lineage and training context, the term may describe exercises that develop the ability to establish a bridge, recognise contact and respond appropriately once that connection has been made.
Lat Sau (甩手) – Free / Separated Hands: Lat Sau refers to the idea of the hands separating or losing contact. In some Wing Chun lineages, the term is also used for partner exercises that move away from the continuous contact of Chi Sau and provide a context for exploring entry, timing, distance, attack and defence.
The precise format and use of Lat Sau varies between lineages, so it should not be understood as one universally standardised Wing Chun drill.
Through exercises such as these, Wing Chun moves beyond practising techniques in isolation. Contact with another person introduces timing, pressure, distance and unpredictability, giving the practitioner an opportunity to test and develop the principles explored through forms and individual technique.
🦵 Leg Techniques & Footwork
Wing Chun's use of the legs follows many of the same principles found in the hands: efficiency, structure, balance and economy of movement. The legs are used not only for kicking, but also for stepping, positioning, controlling distance and responding to an opponent's movement.
Rather than treating every leg movement as a separate fixed technique, Wing Chun training develops the ability to coordinate the upper and lower body so that the hands, stance and footwork work together.
Leg Techniques Glossary
Bong Gerk (膀腳) – Wing Leg: A leg action that shares the deflecting or redirecting quality associated with Bong Sau. Rather than being a particular “side kick”, Bong Gerk is better understood as a leg method used to respond to incoming pressure or contact while maintaining balance and position.
Tan Gerk (攤腳) – Dispersing Leg: A leg method that shares the spreading or dispersing quality of Tan Sau. Tan Gerk can be used to redirect or control an incoming leg while maintaining structure and creating an opportunity to continue moving or counter. It should not be understood simply as the name of a forward push kick.
Huen Gerk (圈腳) – Circling Leg: A circling action of the leg used to change position around contact, recover a line or influence an opponent's leg. Like Huen Sau with the hands, the emphasis is on the circular quality of the movement rather than one fixed application.
Wing Chun also contains a variety of direct kicks delivered with different parts of the foot and at different angles. The names and classifications used for these kicks vary between lineages, but the underlying emphasis remains on maintaining balance, structure and the ability to continue immediately into the next action.
🧍 Stance & Foot Position
Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma (二字鉗羊馬) – Character Two Adduction / Goat-Clamping Stance
Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma is Wing Chun's foundational training stance and is particularly associated with Siu Nim Tao. The name refers in part to the shape created by the feet, resembling the Chinese character for two (二), and to the inward relationship of the legs.
The stance is generally practised with the feet approximately shoulder-width apart, the toes and knees directed inward and the weight evenly distributed. The body remains naturally upright and balanced rather than being held with unnecessary muscular tension.
Its purpose is not simply to create a strong static position. Training Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma develops awareness of alignment, balance and the centre of gravity, providing a foundation from which Wing Chun's turning, stepping and other movement can develop. It is a training stance rather than a fixed position that must be maintained during fighting.
Footwork & Movement
Wing Chun footwork develops from the same concern with balance, position and economy of movement. Rather than moving the feet independently of the rest of the body, stepping and turning coordinate the stance with the hands so that the practitioner can change position without unnecessarily sacrificing structure or balance.
Turning / Shifting: Turning allows the practitioner to change angle and relationship to incoming force while maintaining balance and the ability to use both hands. The movement should coordinate the body rather than becoming an isolated twist of the feet or hips.
Advancing and Retreating: Wing Chun uses stepping to adjust distance while keeping the body organised and ready to attack or defend. The aim is not simply to move forwards or backwards, but to maintain an effective relationship to the opponent while moving.
Huen Bo (圈步) – Circling Step: Huen Bo refers to circling footwork used to change position or angle. The circular stepping action allows the practitioner to adjust their relationship to an opponent while maintaining balance and an effective position.
As the practitioner's footwork develops, stepping, turning, kicking and hand techniques become increasingly integrated. The objective is not to perform separate movements with the hands and feet, but to coordinate the whole body so that position, balance and technique can change together.
💭Final Thoughts
Learning Wing Chun terminology gives us a language for discussing the movements, principles and training methods of the art. But knowing the names is only the beginning.
Terms such as Tan Sau, Bong Sau, Chi Sau and Yee Jee Kim Yeung Ma become meaningful through practice. As we train, we begin to understand not only what a movement is called, but how structure, timing, sensitivity, balance and movement work together.
This is also why Wing Chun can continue to develop over many years. The techniques may become familiar, but our understanding of them continues to change as our experience grows.
Whether you're completely new to Wing Chun or have been training for years, there is always another opportunity to practise, refine and understand a little more.
Experience Wing Chun for Yourself
A glossary can explain the language of Wing Chun, but the best way to understand the art is to experience it.
If you're in the Blue Mountains and would like to begin training, learn more about our Wing Chun classes in Wentworth Falls and book a free trial at Kung Fu Blue Mountains.
Yours in Kung Fu,
Sifu Aron
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