Tropes about In-Universe martial arts. So watch your formatting, lest you get a boot to the head.
For "fu" tropes in general, see Foo Fu.
- All Asians Know Martial Arts
- All Chinese People Know Kung-Fu
- All Monks Know Kung-Fu
- Animal-Themed Fighting Style
- Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: All power with no discipline, but he still thinks he's the best.
- Arrow Catch: The ability to snatch an incoming projectile from midair, and a stock trick for martial artists.
- Artistic License – Martial Arts
- Aura Vision: Learning to "see" with the mind's eye. An innate ability of supernatural martial artists.
- Bare-Fisted Monk: Master of unarmed combat.
- Bare-Handed Blade Block: Martial artists can catch a sword or edged weapon with their bare hands.
- Black Belt in Origami
- Blade Run: A martial artist stands on the edge of their opponent's outstretched weapon, usually as a show of skill or intimidation.
- Brick Break: Martial artists break bricks with their bare hands.
- Bruce Lee Clone: Expies and homages of the deceased martial arts legend and movie star.
- Chop Sockey
- Dangerous Forbidden Technique: Deadly esoteric martial art techniques that are either consider taboo, or too dangerous for anyone other than highly skilled disciplined Masters to use.
- Drunken Boxing: A traditional Chinese martial art that imitates a drunkard to make one's movements unpredictable. In fiction, usually used by tricksters.
- Enlightenment Superpowers: The acquisition of extrasensory perception, or other supernatural ability by way of habitual meditation and introspection.
- Everybody Was Kung-Fu Fighting: Everyone knows martial arts. Everyone.
- Fantastic Fighting Style
- Fighting Panda: Panda martial artists.
- Foo Fu
- Force and Finesse: Contrasting approaches in combat, one blunt and straightforward, another intricate and strategic.
- Friendly Rivalry: Every good martial arts hero needs a friendly competitor of equal skill to spur them onwards. A staple of most fighting games.
- Funny Bruce Lee Noises: Often used in movie martial arts scenes
- The Greatest Style
- Hermit Guru: Ancient sages and martial arts masters who live in seclusion, usually in constant meditation.
- Heroes Fight Barehanded
- Kame Hame Hadoken: The pinnacle of Ki manipulation: the manifestation of one's fighting spirit in the form of a weaponized blast of pure energy.
- I Know Karate
- I Know Kung-Faux
- Kiai: A scream signifying a significant release of power in preparation for, or during, a strike or battle.
- Kick Chick: Female martial artists with a strong preference for kick-centric fighting forms.
- Ki Manipulation: Gaining heightened senses, spiritual awareness, and supernatural ability via habitual meditation and focus training.
- Kung-Foley: Loud, exaggerated sound effects in kung-fu movies.
- Kung-Fu Clairvoyance
- Kung-Fu Jesus
- Kung-Fu Kid
- Kung Fu-Proof Mook
- Kung-Fu Sonic Boom: When an attack is so powerful, the impact warps the surrounding area like a thunderclap.
- Kung-Fu Wizard: Physically powerful magic user.
- Martial Artists Are Always Barefoot
- Martial Arts and Crafts: Martial arts styles derived from non-combat skills.
- Martial Arts for Mundane Purposes
- Martial Arts Movie
- Martial Pacifist: An expert in martial arts but avoids using violence unless it's really necessary.
- Master of Your Domain
- Multi-Martial Master: A person practices multiple martial arts styles.
- My Kung-Fu Is Stronger Than Yours
- Pacifist Dojo
- Pressure Point
- Razor-Sharp Hand
- Rival Dojos
- Shaolin Monk: A Warrior Monk that belongs to (or is inspired by) the Shaolin Monastery of Henan, China.
- Shared Signature Move: Expected of students taught by the same Master.
- Shatterpoint Tap: The ability to destroy solid rock and/or shatter bone with a single precise strike.
- Soft Martial Arts Style: Many kung fu styles fall under this umbrella, such as tai chi, ba gua, xing yi, and many others.
- Supernatural Martial Arts: Traditional martial arts enhanced via either Ki manipulation, or other supernatural ability.
- Sword Limbo: A martial artist dramatically bends backward at their waist, to stylishly duck under an incoming weapon slash.
- Thug Dojo: A martial arts school that teaches its pupils to maim people at a whim.
- Touch of Death: A precision based pressure point attack that instantly kills the target. Often done with the touch of a finger and, usually, a forbidden technique.
- What the Fu Are You Doing?
- Wire Fu: A Live-Action Special Attack assisted by the fact that the actor is tethered to the ceiling.
- Wuxia: Epic tales of martial arts chivalry, usually set in Imperial China, Feudal Japan, or other Asian inspired fictional counterpart.