This short Taijiquan (Tai Chi) glossary is thus organized:
the usual writing in the west;
the traditional chinese characters for the term, and the simplified chinese characters for the same term;
the Pinyin writing for the term;
the Wade-Giles writing for the term;
the translation and a short explanation.
dantian
丹 田
Pinyin : dāntián
W-G : tan1 t’ien2
Cinnabar field, or elixir field . Location in the body where the Qi or vital breath gathers.
huiyin
會 陰 or 会 阴
Pinyin : huìyīn
W-G : hui4 yin1
Meeting of the yin. Acupuncture point in the lowest area of the trunk.
jin
勁 or 劲
Pinyin : jìn
W-G : chin4
Strength. The radicals in the character also convey the idea of flow. Contrast with 力 .
laojia
老 架 or 耂 架
Pinyin : lǎojià
W-G : lao3 chia4
Old form: the best known set of forms in Chen style Taijiquan (Tai Chi) , made up by two forms. Usually refers only to the first of these two forms.
neigong, nei kung
內 功 or 内 功
Pinyin : nèigōng
W-G : nei4 kung1
Internal exercise. Refers to a kind of exercise which was probably influenced by Taoist gymnastics, and has a goal of transforming the body.
neijia
內 家 or 内 家
Pinyin : nèijiā
W-G : nei4 chia1
Martial art style that appeared and disappeared in the XVII century in China. From the start of the XX century, mainly due to a marketing move by Sun Lutang, the term began to be used to refer to a group of chinese martial styles which employ Neigong and Qigong exercises, and have some common broad principles.
pengjin
掤 勁 or 掤 劲
Pinyin : péngjìn
W-G : p’eng2 chin4
The flexible, resilient and powerful structure acquired by the body through Taijiquan (Tai Chi) practice.
qigong, chi kung
氣 功 or 气 功
Pinyin : qìgōng
W-G : ch’i4 kung1
Exercises for cultivating the Qi.
quan, chuan
拳
Pinyin : quán
W-G : ch’uan2
Fist. Also used to refer to an empty-hand fighting system, or to one form (set of movements) in such a system.
taiji, taichi
太 極 ou 太 极
Pinyin : tàijí
W-G : t’ai4 chi2
The Yin-Yang duality which springs spontaneously from Wuji, the union of yin and yang, supreme axis.
taijiquan, tai chi chuan
太 極 拳 or 太 极 拳
Pinyin : tàijíquán
W-G : t’ai4 chi2 ch’uan2
Ultimate Boxing: chinese martial art created by Chen Wangting in the XVII century.
tuishou
推 手
Pinyin : tuīshǒu
W-G : t’ui1 shou3
Pushing hands. Partner exercise in Taijiquan (Tai Chi) .
yang
陽 or 阳
Pinyin : yáng
W-G : yang2
Male principle, or the characteristics of movement, heat and light.
yin
陰 or 阴
Pinyin : yīn
W-G : yin1
Female principle, or the characteristics of inertia, cold and darkness.
zhanzhuang
站 樁 or 站 桩
Pinyin : zhànzhuāng
W-G : chan4 chuang1
Standing post, a Neigong practice in Taijiquan (Tai Chi) .