Editor's Glossary For Tuishou Terms

SONG (adj.) - relaxed

FANG SONG (v.) - to be relaxed; to relax

ROU (adj.) - supple, flexible, pliable

QI (n.) - life force; vital energy

SHEN (n.) - spirit, mind. Translated in this article as "will to live".

JIN (n.) - energy, strength. The term in this sense is often erroneously transliterated as JING Mich is the adjective form of this character and which means tough, powerful, sturdy.'

JIE (v.) - to receive, to catch. Also translated as to absorb, to borrow.

ZHAN, NIAN (v.) - to stick, to adhere. Each word has different implications: ZHAN implies to moisten, to wet (e.g., how your tee shirt "sticks" to you when you sweat); NIAN implies sticky, gluey, viscous, bonding (e.g., a stamp "sticks" to an envelope because of the glue).

HUA (v.) - to change, to transform. Also translated as to neutralize. The term "Hua hai wei li", "turn a disadvantage into an advantage" gives the idea best.

FA (v.) - to issue, to discharge, to emit, to channel outward. Also translated as to release.

Originally published in AWYMTA Journal (Vol.4, No. 1 Spring 1996)