Kung fu is an umbrella term in China, referring to various schools of martial arts. The Chinese is 功夫, pronounced gongfu in Mandarin, kung fu in Cantonese.

Kung fu has a long history in China — its origin can be dated back to the 4th century. China’s martial arts can be combined with various weapons, which is rare in karate and taekwondo. More so than with karate or taekwondo, kung fu in the daily lives of Chinese people is used more as a way to exercise. Unlike karate and taekwondo, kung fu is often combined with acrobatics in shows.