Pronunciation: [ɡˈʌn fˈuː] (IPA) 
Gun fu is a term used to describe fictional stylish gun fighting techniques in movies and video games. The word gun fu is spelled with a /g/ sound, followed by the /ʌ/ vowel sound and then /n/, written as /gʌn/. The second syllable of the word, "fu," is pronounced as /fuː/, with a longer /u/ vowel sound. The phonetic transcription for gun fu is /ˈɡʌn fuː/, and it has become a popular genre with a cult following.
"Gun fu" is a concept derived from a combination of the words "gun" and "kung fu," referring to a fictional martial arts style that prominently features the usage of firearms as a primary weapon. Gun fu is commonly seen in various forms of popular culture, such as movies, video games, and literature.
In gun fu, practitioners exhibit remarkable agility, precision, and efficiency in handling firearms, incorporating acrobatic and combat techniques traditionally associated with kung fu. This martial arts style emphasizes the seamless integration of hand-to-hand combat with highly stylized gunplay. Gun fu techniques often involve dynamic movements, such as flips, spins, slides, and jumps, while simultaneously shooting multiple targets with exceptional accuracy.
Gun fu has its roots in martial arts films, particularly in Hong Kong cinema, which blended the traditional elements of kung fu with modern gunplay. It gained significant popularity during the late 20th century, mainly through movies characterized by their fast-paced action sequences, intricate choreography, and innovative use of firearms.
The term gun fu has also extended beyond its cinematic origins and has become a popular trope in video games and literature, where characters showcase similar skills and combat styles. Gun fu is often associated with characters who possess extraordinary reflexes, display impeccable marksmanship, and effortlessly dispatch their adversaries with near-superhuman proficiency.
Overall, gun fu represents a fictional martial arts style that blends traditional kung fu techniques with firearm usage, providing a visually captivating and highly stylized form of combat seen in various forms of entertainment media.
The word "gun fu" is a blend of two terms: "gun" and "kung fu".
"Gun" comes from the Old Norse word "gunnr", meaning "war" or "battle". It later evolved into the Middle English term "gonne", which referred to a type of projectile weapon. Over time, it came to specifically refer to firearms.
"Kung fu", on the other hand, is a Chinese term that literally means "achievement through great effort". It originally referred to any skill or discipline achieved through hard work and practice, but is most commonly associated with Chinese martial arts.
The blending of these terms, "gun fu", emerged in the 1990s as a description for a style of action choreography in movies that combines firearms combat with martial arts movements. It gained popularity particularly through films like "The Matrix" trilogy, where characters engage in highly stylized gunfight sequences.
