wǔgōng
Also written: wugong; martial skill; martial arts ability; kung fu
Martial arts ability or trained fighting skill, especially the techniques, internal training, movement, and combat attainment possessed by characters in wuxia stories.
Literal meaning
martial skill or accomplishment
Cultural context
In ordinary Chinese, 武功 can refer to martial achievement or skill. In wuxia storytelling, it often operates as a broad measure of a character’s fighting capability and may include named techniques, weapon arts, internal force, and movement skills.
How dramas use it
Characters compare wǔgōng, lose or recover it, inherit secret manuals, challenge another school, or discover that someone’s apparent weakness hides advanced martial training.
Usage & formality
Wǔgōng is broader than one technique. 武术, wǔshù, is the general term for martial arts, while 功夫, gōngfu, can refer to skill developed through sustained effort.