chi kung

/ˌt͡ʃiˈkʌŋ//ˌt͡ʃiˈɡɒŋ/

A form of qigong — A Chinese system of breathing control, physical exercise and meditation.

Meanings

nounchi kung (uncountable)

alternative chi-kung

  1. alternativeuncountableAlternative form of qigong.

    My course involved meditation, exercise (yoga and chi kung), diet (I was given a tailored menu), herbal remedies, massage, acupuncture and no alcohol.

    2017 May 20, Jeremy Langmead, “Inner peace at a Vietnamese retreat”, in The Times, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 21 Oct 2021, Grooming
    4 more examples

    So broad is the definition of Chi kung that spontaneous dancing, walking and other physical activities are all forms of it, but to practise a series of specific Chi kung exercises means consciously choosing to cultivate your personal energy. This book is primarily concerned with the conscious use of Chi kung to control the flow of chi into and out of, as well as within, the body.

    1999, Eleanor McKenzie, chi kung, Octopus Publishing, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 8

    The New Life Hiking Spa in Killington, Vt., offers an 11-night program at $229 a night for a single room, including meals, three spa treatments, exercise classes and a chi kung “energy training” class.

    2011 December 29, Jennifer Conlin, “My Week at the Biggest Loser Fat Camp”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 16 Mar 2023, Travel

    Using his extensive knowledge of martial arts, as practiced at the Southern Shaolin Temple in southern China, including Zen meditation, Tai chi chuan (taiji) and chi kung (qi gong), Sifu Colarusso has helped hundreds of people around the world understand the nature, process, and benefits of harnessing energy to help calm the mind and overcome daily challenges.

    2018 October 10, “The Benefits of the Internal Energy Arts for Coping with Stress on World Mental Health Day”, in AP News, archived from the original on 16 Mar 2023

    Born out of a Taoist culture, I think Chi Kung must have originally come about by a spontaneous breath and movement, by someone on a spiritual path seeking the Tao, or feeling their way towards greater well-being.

    2021, Lizzie Slowe, The Living Art of Chi Kung, →ISBN

Origin

Borrowed from Mandarin 氣功/气功 (qìgōng, “breath work, qi work”) Wade–Giles romanization: chʻi⁴-kung¹.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with chi kung

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

chi kung. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chi%20kung

MLA

“chi kung.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chi%20kung. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “chi kung,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chi%20kung.

Source: chi kung on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.