Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

nunchaku

/nʌnˈt͡ʃɑku/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.71 in modern English

Syllables
nun-cha-ku
IPA
/nʌnˈt͡ʃɑku/
17
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A weapon originating from Okinawa, Japan, consisting of two sticks joined by a chain or cord.

Countable

noun

The skill of using this weapon in martial arts.

Uncountable

Etymology

Borrowed from Okinawan 双節棍 (nunchaku) (compare Japanese 双節棍 (nunchaku)), probably from Hokkien 兩節棍 /两节棍 (nn̄g-chat-kùn, literally “two-segment cudgel”), from 兩 /两 (nn̄g, “two”) + 節 /节 (chat, “joint; link; segment”) + 棍 (kùn, “cudgel; stick”).

Word Breakdown

  • Root: 双節棍, 兩節棍

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /nʌnˈt͡ʃɑku/
  • British English: /nʌnˈtʃækuː/

Usage

Inflected Forms

nunchakus (plural) numchuck (alternative) num-chuk (alternative) nunchuck (alternative) nunchuk (alternative)

Frequently Paired Words

weapon flail

Synonyms

chainsticks

Questions

How do you pronounce nunchaku?
The recorded pronunciation is /nʌnˈt͡ʃɑku/.
What does nunchaku mean?
A weapon originating from Okinawa, Japan, consisting of two sticks joined by a chain or cord.
Where does nunchaku come from?
Borrowed from Okinawan 双節棍 (nunchaku) (compare Japanese 双節棍 (nunchaku)), probably from Hokkien 兩節棍 /两节棍 (nn̄g-chat-kùn, literally “two-segment cudgel”), from 兩 /两 (nn̄g, “two”) + 節 /节 (chat, “joint; link; segment”) + 棍 (kùn, “cudgel; stick”).

How to pronounce nunchaku

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “nunchaku”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/nʌnˈt͡ʃɑku/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “nunchaku”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “nunchaku” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.