Chinese–EnglishWith examples

功夫

gōng fu · gong fu

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 3Old HSK 5

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. skill
  2. art
  3. kung fu
  4. labor
  5. effort
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In a conversation

0:19 cartoon

Kung fu practice

  1. Liangliang

    灯灯(dēngdēng)，你(nǐ)在(zài)做(zuò)什么(shénme)？

    Dengdeng, what are you doing?

  2. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)在(zài)练(liàn)功夫(gōngfu)，刚(gāng)学(xué)了(le)一个(yīgè)星期(xīngqī)。

    I am practising kung fu. I only learned it a week ago.

  3. Liangliang

    真的(zhēnde)？那(nà)给我看看(gěiwǒkànkan)你(nǐ)的(de)功夫(gōngfu)。

    Really? Then let me see your kung fu.

  4. Dengdeng

    好(hǎo)，看好(kànhǎo)了(le)——哎呀(āiyā)，我(wǒ)的(de)鞋(xié)掉(diào)了(le)！

    OK, watch closely. Oops, my shoe came off!

  5. Liangliang

    看来(kànlai)练(liàn)功夫(gōngfu)，要(yào)先(xiān)系好(xìhǎo)鞋带(xiédài)。

    It seems that to practise kung fu, you must tie your shoelaces first.

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

挺(tǐng)好(hǎo)，挺(tǐng)好(hǎo)，下(xià)一(yí)次(cì)再(zài)花(huā)点(diǎn)儿(r)功(gōng)夫(fu)就(jiù)成(chéng)功(gōng)了(le)。

Good, good, next time use a bit more effort and you'll succeed.

Tatoeba: Chinese by U2FS · English by Aphima · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

我(wǒ)想(xiǎng)解(jiě)决(jué)这(zhè)个(ge)问(wèn)题(tí)，可(kě)是(shì)白(bái)费(fèi)功(gōng)夫(fu)。

I tried in vain to deal with the problem.

Tatoeba: Chinese by GlossaMatik · English by CM · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

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How to write

Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
功
gōng

meritorious deed or service; achievement

夫
fū

husband; man

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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