chu-ko-nu

plural chu-ko-nus

1. An early Chinese repeating crossbow.

   Ejecting and replacing the magazine from her chu–ko–nu, she grimly fastened the ribbon holding the gruesome trophy to her belt.

   2016, Felix Long, To Conquer Heaven, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 364

   2 more examples

   The chu-ko-nu, equipped with a magazine to hold bolts or, as in this case, pellets, was used in China well into the twentieth century (Needham et al. 1994: 157-64; Selby 2003: 62-63).

   2007, C. E. Grayson, M. French, M. J. O'Brien, Traditional Archery from Six Continents, University of Missouri Press, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 24

   While traditional bows were all about placing carefully selected shots, the chu-ko-nu could rattle off about one shot every two seconds, raining down a shitstorm of indiscriminate crossbow fire that would scare the Fu Manchu right off the enemy.

   2013, John O'Bryan, A History of Weapons, Chronicle Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 84