Chinese equivilant of the Japanese -ka?

[ovine king]

well..... not really; you still tend to say that "they practice chuan fa".

I have to say that I have never never heard "chuan fa chia" used in any context, which now taht I think of it, is more true. It is the context that makes the chinese and japanese different. In the chinese, the chia (if i am thinking of the same word) means "of the family". In the case of the chinese martial arts, the martial art is considered the family, which is why it isn't used as a suffix to the name of a style. In the japanese case, the arts themselves (i.e karate) are considered the family.

.....which now that i think about it, means that it isn't the word (ka/chia) that is different but the subject that the word is used to describe....

As you pointed out, the only martial art related term when that is used, is as a suffix to wushu/wutao/wuhok.

In the other example that was cited, when someone says "he is hung gar" (in chinese) it is actually a shortened way of say "he belongs to the hung gar (family)" and is usually used in context of being a reply to a question. You wouldn't really say that you are hung gar (as in "I am hung gar"). Instead, you'd say that "I am a person that belongs to the hung family").

Alternatively, you'd say that you practice hung kuen.

[kzshin]

you still tend to say that "they practice chuan fa".

in Japanese, you say "they practice karate" too, there is no Ka in it.

"chuan fa chia"

they do exist. Just like you say he is SU fa Chia (brush writing specialist or someone who spend their time study su fa)

In the chinese, the chia (if i am thinking of the same word) means "of the family"

so does Japanese

However, Chia and Ka also mean specialist or someone who spent their time study certain subject. It was used in many cases and definately in martial art's case, that's why there is budo ka, and wu tao chia.

In the other example that was cited, when someone says "he is hung gar" (in chinese) it is actually a shortened way of say "he belongs to the hung gar (family)" and is usually used in context of being a reply to a question. You wouldn't really say that you are hung gar (as in "I am hung gar"). Instead, you'd say that "I am a person that belongs to the hung family").

1st of all, althought gramar wise that is correct, no on speaks like that in these days, people will consider that's very arrogant. The reply you will get from that is "there are so many people with last name of Hung, what you mean by your from Hung Chia"

2ndly, I think only Cantonese will say I practice Hung Gar, I am sure if you go to China or Taiwan, even singapore, they won't say Hung gar, they will say Hong Chuan. or Tiger Crane style.

Alternatively, you'd say that you practice hung kuen

again that's how you say it in Japanes also, you say you practice karate, or judo, you don't say you practice Judo ka, or Karate-ka.

[ovine king]

we've been through this before.

nearly all chinese people know that Hung Gar is a martial art style and is the same as Hung Kuen.

If one was to say that they were from the Hung family (as in surname) they would state so "Ngo sing Hung".

And no, I was specifically talking about "chuan fa chia". I have never heard of it, just as I have never heard of chia being used a a suffix for a specific style (i.e hung kuen chia, wing chun chia).

as i have already said, i have only ever heard of it used for the very general description

i.e wu hok chia (studies martial knowledge)

ngai sut chia (studies arts)

[kzshin]

No that's not true, NOT "nearly all" chinese people knows that Hung Gar is martial art style and is same as hung chuan. Maybe nearly all cantonese people knows, but definately NOT "nearly all" chinese people knows. Cantonese is not standard Chinese language, it's only a dialog that is used in Canton area, and HK. Therefore, most chinese don't know how to speak cantonese, usually only people from canton area and HK speaks Cantonese.

And even if you say "I practice Hoang Chia" in Maindarin chinese, not only it's gramatically incorrect, most Maindarin chinese speaker will look at you weird, especically people who know nothing about Martial art or Cantonese. However, if you say Hoang Chuan most people knows.

Juding by your spelling of wu hok chia and ngai sut chia, it looks like you learn your chinese based on Cantonese, which is NOT standard Bejin Chinese or Maindarin Chinese which were widely used by most Chinese.

Now back to the topic.

Chuan Fa Chia does exist, and it didn't specific style, it just mean studies of Chuan Fa, and anyone that knows chinese knows that Chuan Fa is just a general terms, no style were specific, just like what you pointed out. However, this goes the same with Karate Ka, it just mean person who studies Karate, but didn't specific styles. There are many styles within karate, such as shotokan, Go Ju, shindo Jinen ryu, Wado ryu, and such.

Karate is just like Chinese Kung Fu, or Chinese Chuan Fa, it's a general terms, and Shotokan is a style of Karate, just like Hoang Chuan is a style of chinese Chuan Fa. (however, I do believe there are way more chinese Chuan Fa styles than karate, and the difference between some of the styles are rather large.)

[shogeri]

Again, at least in America, I have heard both, 'he/she practices hung gar/wing chun', etc, and 'he's or she's hung har'...

Whether it's right or wrong, it's how they do it. The point is made or understood.

[KF Dude]

Such as:

I am Hung Gar

I am Shaolin Dragon (or Leopard, Tiger, Snake, Crane)

I am Hao Chuan

He is Muay Thai, or she is Taijiquan...

and so on...

And when you speak of kung fu, you speak of it as something they possess, and can be measured to some degree.

Their driving kung fu is excellent.

Their shaolin kung fu has yet to be mastered.

Their communication kung fu is lacking.

Their tea drinking kung fu is utterly the best.

The have great kung fu in regards to being a medical doctor.

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Just some thoughts...

It's more like " I do Hung-Ga" which usually brings a response of recogniton or "What's that - karate?".

"I am Hung-Ga" is very funny

"He/She has good kung fu" is a common saying among Chinese martial artists.