Chinese name of a horse.

[iron_silk]

I am not familiar with the word 'sou' being associated with 'close, or closing'.

We say "saan" as in "Saan-Muyhn" (Closed Door).

I didn't bother trying to look up the word 'sou', so are you sure it means 'close?'

Although I am not part of the conversation I just wanted to add that I have heard of the term "sou" use for such purpose.

Is it the same as "sou faan" to "take back" or "sou sam" taking in laundry.

I don't know...

[Lama Pai Sifu]

Thanks! I will look it up. I am always appreciative of someone teaching me something new...

[CFT]

I think this is the character you are looking for:

http://zhongwen.com/d/166/x172.htm

[David Jamieson]

just wanna say that in the year or ten that you've spent looking at all this stuff you could have taken a course and learned the whole language dude.

I seriously wouldn't rely on phrasology in english terms except in a very broad sense when it comes to teh descriptors for CMA. It's always in yoru best interest to express verbal information in your native tongue or at least the one that you yourself understand.

Otherwise, get to nightschool! You can learn chinese very quickly! Maybe 2 years tops if you are a good student and you will even be able to write a bit. Look for opportunities to speak and be corrected by those who speak it fluently!

beats trying to figure stuff out vis a vis a bunch of non chinese (maybe a couple) in an internet forum anyway.

[chasincharpchui]

it is definately not called sou ma

depending if ur retreating or advancing

they're different names

dat ma and tou ma

and btw 'sou' or better prounounced 'sau' does not translate to close

it translate to take or retrieve

[Lama Pai Sifu]

See..I didn't think it was associated with any type of 'closing'.


For the record, I speak Cantonese. Probably the equivalent of someone who took Spanish for 3 years and was an "A" student. I still am learning quite a bit...always picking up new vocab...but I have never heard that word being associated with 'closing'.

Keepin' it real.

[chasincharpchui]

See..I didn't think it was associated with any type of 'closing'.


For the record, I speak Cantonese. Probably the equivalent of someone who took Spanish for 3 years and was an "A" student. I still am learning quite a bit...always picking up new vocab...but I have never heard that word being associated with 'closing'.

Keepin' it real.

these guys mite have it mixed up with its other uses

'sau poh/sau dong' close shop(cantonese slang)

'sau sik' end of form

[CLFNole]

I am familiar with sau sik with sau ma could it translate to close horse or take in the horse since what Frank was describing was going from sei ping ma to both legs together.

[hskwarrior]

Yeah that's correct, CLF nole.

Start out in Sei Ping Ma. Lets's say you take your right leg and (pull) or eve slide your right leg back to your left leg. Knee's are still bent, feet are "together" and knees are touching. In our school you don't pick up the foot and place it there, you pull the leg closed. by dragging it on the floor slightly you can build that innner groin muscle (get out the gutter )

Still, that move can be found in our Che Kuen and Cheung Kuen (lau Bun's). In my book, using the closed horse is a great way to evade a frontal leg attack while transitioning into something else. but it's still just a simple move.

But like i said previously, while in the sei ping ma if you were to simultaneously pull the back leg in to the closed horse position it's pretty hidden to the person you are dealing with that you just closed the gap and can launch a kick without him seeing it.

In one sense, the closed horse can seem like an illusion because at one point you can't even kick the person with your front leg. but close the back leg while blocking or something and go from there.

But thanks folks.

[chasincharpchui]

wat ur describing is 'lau ma'


and sau does not mean to close

[hskwarrior]

I do thank you all for your contributions to helping me document the chinese terminologies of the techniques we do.

For the most part we never cared about the chinese names because rarely dealt with other CLF schools. now, that i've been dealing with you folks I've realized that knowing the chinese terms is important for me to teach my own students.

I will be back for more, however if anyone knows this kind of computer problem, my computer is scrolling up and down all by itself and i'm not sure if i should change the mouse, keyboard or what. help me.

[mysteri]

so cool, not to hijack the thread, but i'm wondering what other's feel would be good audio or computer software learning material for cantonese? Pimsleur was good for a month or two crash course to understand enough basic phrases to get u shot in hong kong or hanged in guangzhou. also, "Colloquial Cantonese" by Keith S.T. Tong(?) and Gregory James was decent, but i never really finished that one. jus curious what u all are finding worthwhile.

also, i've been asking simo if she would mind "coaching" us in cantonese if i found some good classroom material. i'm having a pretty hard time finding that. any recommendations? thanks in advance.

[chasincharpchui]

its really hard to learn cantonese from books because the way cantonese ppl talk is different to they way cantonese ppl write

unlike mandarin u write wat u speak

[Lama Pai Sifu]

Best advice, do what I did. Hang out with someone who doesn't speak English (your sifu) for about...oh....10 years or so. That ought to do it.

Seriously, books and cd's are good, I've always used them, but you've got to talk to Chinese people to learn. Go to Chinatown, practice basics in a resturant, go shopping etc. Plan a trip to China or Hong Kong. I went twice in the past 6 months, stayed for about 10 days each time, and WOW, did my Cantonese improve.

[mysteri]

thanx for the information, guys. i agree, it does mainly come down to just speaking and practicing with native-speakers. i did plan a trip overseas but so far it's fallen through, so i think it's being put off till next year. i'm lucky enough to where i can call up some fluent speakers when i'd like to practice so that helps. but i'm also always looking for good material to solidify a working foundation. dohr jie saai.