gōng fu
labour; ability; kung fu
他从小就开始学习功夫。
tā cóngxiǎo jiù kāishǐ xuéxí gōngfu.
He started learning kung fu since he was a child.
李小龙是著名的功夫明星。
lǐ xiǎolóng shì zhùmíng de gōngfu míngxīng.
Bruce Lee is a famous kung fu star.
我想学习功夫，强身健体。
wǒ xiǎng xuéxí gōngfu, qiángshēn jiàntǐ.
I want to learn kung fu to strengthen my body.
武术 (wǔshù)
martial arts
功夫 (gōngfu)
skill
懒惰 (lǎnduò)
laziness
懈怠 (xièdài)
negligence
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The Chinese word 功夫 (gōngfu) is composed of two characters: 功 (gōng) and 夫 (fu). 功 originally meant "work" or "merit", and 夫 originally meant "man" or "husband". When combined, 功夫 literally means "the work of a man". Over time, the meaning of 功夫 has evolved to refer to any kind of skill or expertise that is acquired through hard work and practice. It is often used in the context of martial arts, where it refers to the skills and techniques that are learned through years of training. However, 功夫 can also be used to refer to any other kind of skill, such as cooking, music, or art. In this sense, 功夫 is similar to the English word "skill", but it also carries the connotation of hard work and dedication.
