THE TERM SIFU IS COMMONLY HEARD OF WITHIN GUNG FU CIRCLES. THE CHINESE PICTOGRAM IS MADE UP OF TWO CHARACTERS, MEANING “TEACHER” AND “FATHER”, AND IS LOOSELY TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH AS “MASTER”.
At its most basic level, Sifu implies a superior level of skill and status within a hierarchy. Indeed, the title is often used as a form of deference or respect. Derived from the term for “Teacher”, the title Sifu also suggests the ability to translate personal attributes into the development of others. This infers a superior knowledge that is coupled to the complex range of interpersonal skills that are required to transmit ideas and concepts.