The word “Soo” comes up often when it comes to Korean techniques and is present in the name of the style I train in (Tang Soo Do), and so it’s natural to be curious as to what it means. In basic terms, it means “hand”, and typically denotes an open hand (but not always). The Chinese character used is 手, and is pronounced as “te”, or “shu” in Japanese and “shǒu” in Chinese. Here is a larger version of the same character:
手
The top stroke represents the middle finger, with the other strokes representing the four fingers and the wrist at the bottom. The visual is that of an open hand, fingers splayed out and the middle finger slightly bent. A relatively simple character compared to other’s I’ve done in the past, but it’s no less important.
I think it’s worth taking a minute to look at why martial arts use the expression “hand” or “fist” (forthcoming in another article!) in the name of their style. If not expressly written, many organizations use a picture of the hand/fist in their logo, and it conveys an important aspect or foundation of that particular style. Just doing a simple google search will yield countless results of the hand playing a prominent part in the identify of martial arts schools. Why is this the case?
Much of this is my speculation, but I believe there are two reasons why: firstly, the hand represents the versatility of martial arts. The hand can grab or strike, it can pierce or deflect, it can slash or it can slap. The hand is utilized in most techniques from close-to-medium range, which is where most combat occurs. While there are sweeps and kicks available, the extent of the foot’s utility is essentially boiled down to just these two usages (martial arts nerds feel free to disagree in the comments!). The hand simultaneously represents the simplicity and complexity of martial arts in a single word.
The second reason is much simpler: hands are more visually appealing than feet! Anyone who has had even a cursory interest in drawing knows that the hand is one of the most frustrating parts of the human anatomy to draw correctly. Why else would so many logos/flags utilize this incredibly difficult body part when the foot would be much easier in comparison? Feet are also typically covered with shoes or sandals (even in ancient times), so the hands were by default more visible to bystanders.
I’m sure there are other reasons for why the hand has become such an important symbol for martial arts (I doubt the Okinawan masters worried about graphic design when they named their styles), so feel free to comment and discuss why it is so. Take careful look at your hands next time you’re in class; are you channeling the spirit of your art through them??
Ogawa, Nishida, Akatzuka et al. Shinjigen (新字源) 1967, 2018
Shiragawa, Shizuka Jitou (字統) 2017
