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Thread: Chinese character translation

  1. #1

    Chinese character translation

    Hello, does anyone know of the chinese characters for the wing chun terminologies?
    the terminology im looking for are like 'bong sao', 'tan sao' etc
    There are wing chun songs or sayings too. Does anyone know where i could find them?

    Thanks,
    Duck

  2. #2
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    I asked a similar question when I first posted here last year!

    Probably, the resources that you may find helpful are already online. I wont name any as I'm sure others will soon let you know.

    Why are you interested in the 'characters' and writings of Wing Chun?
    Ti Fei
    詠春國術

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by LoneTiger108 View Post
    I asked a similar question when I first posted here last year!

    Probably, the resources that you may find helpful are already online. I wont name any as I'm sure others will soon let you know.

    Why are you interested in the 'characters' and writings of Wing Chun?
    It could help in understanding the energy used in a movement. Tan sao is sometimes
    translated as 'palm up' when it actually translates as 'disperse' or 'spread'. Palm up doesn't explain how the movement should be used. Dispersing/spreading does. That's one of the reasons I studied Cantonese in college.
    Sifu Phillip Redmond
    Traditional Wing Chun Academy NYC/L.A.
    菲利普雷德蒙師傅
    傳統詠春拳學院紐約市

    WCKwoon
    wck
    sifupr

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phil Redmond View Post
    It could help in understanding the energy used in a movement.
    This is very true, sometimes. Although I think that Duck is asking about the characters themselves, not our 'coded' translations which are so varied sometimes from family to family.

    Personally, I have used the characters to study and teach. The majority of the time a numbering sytem is just simpler for the students but if you want to teach, study is mandatory.

    Here's just one example of a part of our Foundation Curriculum at The Yum Yeurn Academy: http://www.theyumyeurngacademy.co.uk...oundation.html

    If anyone has any interpretations of literature like this I would appreciate any comments. Fook and Bong characters are in this piece somewhere. BTW, these are NOT Kuen Kuit.
    Last edited by LoneTiger108; 02-26-2008 at 07:18 AM.
    Ti Fei
    詠春國術

  5. #5
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    Terminology

    Sifu Randy Williams boooks have all the terminology, characters and translations in the back of his books. Volumes 1,2 and 3. They can be ordered from INside KungFu magazine.
    Don

  6. #6
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    You can find the Wing Chun terminology in "The Complete Wing Chun" in both Mandarin and Cantonese.
    Sifu Phillip Redmond
    Traditional Wing Chun Academy NYC/L.A.
    菲利普雷德蒙師傅
    傳統詠春拳學院紐約市

    WCKwoon
    wck
    sifupr

  7. #7
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    Studying Chinese

    Just curious,
    I have always wanted to study Chinese to understand our art better but since our art is usual associated w/ Cantonese and Mandarin is usually the only thing taught (around here), would it be a waste of time to learn mandarin. And Phil how long did you study and can you converse? looking fwd to feedback
    Don

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by donbdc View Post
    Just curious,
    I have always wanted to study Chinese to understand our art better but since our art is usual associated w/ Cantonese and Mandarin is usually the only thing taught (around here), would it be a waste of time to learn mandarin. And Phil how long did you study and can you converse? looking fwd to feedback
    Don
    When I studied at CCNY it was the only CUNY (City University of New York), college that had Cantonese. Since I was doing martial arts I took the Cantonese course for three years but I think I learned more hanging out in Chinatown with the Hung Ching (Hung Mung) guys. Yes I can converse but I'm I can't read well. The course at CCNY was more focused on conversation and not reading. Right now I'm learning Mandarin with a Chinese professor that comes to our school to teach twice weekly. He requires that we read characters. Though our art uses Cantonese terms I do think that it's essential to study Mandarin. You can communicate with more people that way. When I was in NY my Cantonese came in handy. But when I moved to Detroit many people there spoke Fujianese and we couldn't understand each other well. Had I spoked Mandarin I wouldn't have had that problem.
    Sifu Phillip Redmond
    Traditional Wing Chun Academy NYC/L.A.
    菲利普雷德蒙師傅
    傳統詠春拳學院紐約市

    WCKwoon
    wck
    sifupr

  9. #9
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    Envious

    Wow, Thats great. It seems that w/ any language taking courses is one thing but you have a population you can talk w/. Besides adding 1 more activity to my list (which were surely get me killed by wife) I just wonder if its possibe to do w/ a computer program like Rosetta stone?
    Take care
    Don

  10. #10
    Anything to stop you butchering the language any further donnie!


  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by duckabolo View Post
    Hello, does anyone know of the chinese characters for the wing chun terminologies?
    the terminology im looking for are like 'bong sao', 'tan sao' etc
    There are wing chun songs or sayings too. Does anyone know where i could find them?

    Thanks,
    Duck

    this is a great English Chinese dictionary

    xuezhongwen.net

  12. #12
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    Wink Ashamed of all of YOu

    Hello,

    I am ashamed that no one pointed you in the direction of Renes' site. You can look up the terms, sayings and get both English Translations as well as Chineese Characters.

    Here is the link:

    http://www.wingchunkuen.com/modules...._content&eid=3
    Peace,

    Dave

    http://www.sifuchowwingchun.com
    Wherever my opponent stands--they are in my space

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sihing73 View Post
    Hello,

    I am ashamed that no one pointed you in the direction of Renes' site. You can look up the terms, sayings and get both English Translations as well as Chineese Characters.

    Here is the link:

    http://www.wingchunkuen.com/modules...._content&eid=3
    I did mention The Complete Wing Chun book.
    http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Wing-.../dp/0804831416
    It has Cantonese, Mandarin, and the Chinese characters. I couldn't find Tan Sao on the link you sent.
    Sifu Phillip Redmond
    Traditional Wing Chun Academy NYC/L.A.
    菲利普雷德蒙師傅
    傳統詠春拳學院紐約市

    WCKwoon
    wck
    sifupr

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Phil Redmond View Post
    It could help in understanding the energy used in a movement. Tan sao is sometimes
    translated as 'palm up' when it actually translates as 'disperse' or 'spread'. Palm up doesn't explain how the movement should be used. Dispersing/spreading does. That's one of the reasons I studied Cantonese in college.
    Yeah, im chinese so i'd be interested in learning the chinese words of the art and it kind of makes sense easier for me than the romanized english. Sometimes when the words are translated to english, the meaning becomes a bit weird.

    Ta,
    Duck

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Sihing73 View Post
    Hello,

    I am ashamed that no one pointed you in the direction of Renes' site. You can look up the terms, sayings and get both English Translations as well as Chineese Characters.

    Here is the link:

    http://www.wingchunkuen.com/modules...._content&eid=3
    Thanks sihing, i'll have a look at that

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