there is a big difference in kung fu and karate, not only in origin but in style as well. • Kung Fu is considered a soft style of martial arts. Commonly, movements in kung fu are said to be more circular in nature. In Cantonese, Kung Fu denotes Great Skill. They also have a belt, which comes in different colors that signify the skill level of the student. What is the difference between Kung Fu and Karate? Despite ostensible differences, both martial art forms look exquisite when performed by an expert and it all boils down to personal preference when it comes to choosing between the two martial arts. IKF (International Kung Fu Federation), USAWKF (United States of America Wushu-Kungfu Federation), IWUF (International Wushu Federation), According to legend, the evolution of karate began in 5th Century. Karate and Kung Fu are different forms of oriental martial arts. Karate is a form of unarmed Japanese martial art developed from fighting methods from the Ryūkyū Islands in Okinawa, Japan. Though kung fu involves circular movements while karate involves linear movements, both would still yield the same power towards an opponent. In kung fu forms, movements involve the use of more circular techniques, particularly with the hands. It also refers to the form of martial arts. These techniques make Kung Fu look more exotic in nature than the Karate, which looks more straightforward and easier to learn for some. The traditional wear for Karate is a white uniform called a gi, with has a light, loose fitting. As exercise it was practiced by the Daoists in the 5th century BCE. consisting of grappling (throws, locks, traps, etc), strikes and blocks, the major styles include. This article attempts to highlight the differences between Kung Fu and Karate, one of which is inspired by the other with the assimilation of other influences. Well that explanation is a little simplistic and could be said the other way around too. the term kung fu is used globally as a generic term for the Chinese martial arts, certain chinese … Place Of Origin. Kung Fu: Wing Chun (What I take) Praying Mantis. This means that practitioners shift weight laterally as opposed to forward (like in karate), and is more about reacting to attacks. Karate = a Japanese term which means "empty hand". Karate: Shotokan Karate. The origins of Kung Fu are shrouded in legend with no single figure being credited for being credited for being the founder. With its sweeping movements, animal styles, and specialized weapons, the main difference between Kung Fu and the other 3 styles is its circular motions. Gi with patches representing the style students practice or school (dojo) they practice in, Barefooted, and colored cotton belt (depending on their skill level. Most uniforms have tops with Chinese style buttons, unlike the overlapping tied-up fronts of a karategi. For Karate, there are also several different schools and styles from Kyokushinkai to Goju Ryu to Shotokan. Filed Under: Martial Arts Tagged With: ancient Chinese martial art form, Bruce Lee, karate, karate and kung fu, karate definition, Kung fu, kung fu and karate, kung fu definition, KungFu, martial arts, Taekwondo, Koshal is a graduate in Language Studies with a Master's Degree in Linguistics. Karate is referred as a hard style of martial arts because there is more stop and go in Karate than in Kung Fu. in sort, karate is a kungfu(work) style of the shaolin temple thus very specific. Black belt is the highest ranking belt. Karate is the Japanese equivalent of Chinese Kung Fu. Only thing it means is that power remains hidden because of circular motion. Consider Karate to be a State and Kung Fu to be the full United States of America with tons of States within it. You cannot find any difference between Kung Fu and karate unless you have studied or tried to train in either of these world famous martial arts. As martial art, kung fu can be traced to the Zhou dynasty (1111–255 bc) and even earlier. Most styles include the punch, jabs, strikes and kicks common to Karate since Karate is technically an offshoot of Shaolin kung fu. 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And there is also a comment who said karate is not good for self defense.... but it actually depends on 'speed' and 'experience'..... The Difference Between Karate and Kung Fu For many people, especially those who are not familiar with martial arts, the question often arises on what the difference between karate and kung fu is. 23 Jan 2021. 空手 is Karate in Japanese & 功夫 is Gong Fu in Mandarin Chinese. In terms of weaponry, kung fu makes use of 18 traditional weapons (i.e., rope dart, staff, rattan shield, and double daggers to name a few). Many karate practitioners tend to wear their obi (belt) much longer than practitioners of judo and other martial artists. If you read this far, you should follow us: "Karate vs Kung Fu." in Mandarin Chinese, Martial Arts is Wu Shu. When doing Karate, the students wear a Gi with patches that show the style the student is practicing or the school he or she is from. Kung fu comprises a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. What this means is that Karate movements tend to take you forward with momentum towards your target, while Kung Fu movements shift weight laterally and rely more on reacting to your target's attacks. The first was developed on the island of Okinawa, which today belongs to Japan and the second has its origin in China. Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee revolutionized the way action movies were made. Karate vs. Kung Fu: Two different forms of oriental martial arts.Many people who are unfamiliar with the world of martial arts use the terms Karate vs. Kung Fu interchangeably, but there is actually a wealth of difference between these two fighting styles, both in terms of cultural heritage and application. Karate was developed in what is now Okinawa, Japan, and Kung Fu in China. Okinawa Islands, south of Japan, were the first to learn about Kung Fu, the ancient Chinese martial art form and, through these islands, the people of Japan came into touch with Kung Fu. Karate just means an empty hand, so technically kungfu when practiced without a weapon is simply another form of karate. Kung fu comprises a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in what is today the country of China. Both Kung Fu and karate differ in their movements. Kung Fu, on the other hand, is much more complete as an art and has tons of smaller branches within it. Black belt is the highest honor in karate. As opposed to the consistent white karategi, Kung fu uniforms come mostly in fabrics like satin in a variety of bright colors. I know kung-fu.. It refers to the fact that Karate originated as a system of self-defense which relied on the effective use of the unarmed body of the practitioner. Well here are three of the most well known ones, explained to you. Both Martial Arts Styles are the … However, other martial arts practices existed in China dating as far back as 3000 years ago! For many people, especially those who are not familiar with martial arts, the question often arises on what the difference between karate and kung fu is. The west came to know about Kung Fu and Karate through Bruce Lee, the actor who popularized these martial arts with his Hollywood movies that were extremely successful. The meaning of the term kara te is "empty hands." However, Kung Fu also has movements that mimic the attacking styles of animals. It is also a form of exercise with a spiritual … The main difference between Karate and Kung Fu is that Karate originated from the Ryukyu Kingdom in Japan, whereas Kung fu originated from China. Karatekas generally practice barefoot. kungfu just means a "a man with substancial training or work" , hence it encompasses tens of thousands of style of martial arts, thus it includes karate also.