nunchuck

noun

nun·​chuck ˈnən-ˌchək 

variants or less commonly nunchuk

plural nunchucks also nunchuks

: a weapon that consists of two sticks joined by a short length of cord, chain, or rawhide : nunchaku

—usually plural

For a time, he walked around with a set of nunchucks in a holster strapped to his leg, like a six-shooter …

—Patrick Redden Keefe

… surprised a pair of burglars, one of whom was carrying a knife and two nunchuks.

—American Rifleman

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Requests included replacing the shift knob with a Nintendo Wii nunchuck controller (Atkin obliged). —Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 20 July 2022

The kids might all be about Captain America and Iron Man these days, but nothing beats a classic like the nunchuck-wielding, pizza-munching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. —Cameron Jenkins, Good Housekeeping, 24 June 2022

Oliver began by making fun of Brnovich’s infamous nunchuck videos, which to a comedian is like shooting fish in a barrel, something Oliver acknowledged. —Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 13 June 2022

Officers also found various weapons inside, including samurai swords, nunchucks and knives. —Fox News, 12 Apr. 2020

During a search of the house in Wimauma, investigators also seized pistol powder, knives, hatchets, nunchucks, BB pellet rifles and handguns and books and DVDs on murder, mass killing, bomb-making and domestic terrorism, Fox 13 Tampa reported. —Fox News, 5 Oct. 2019

Most candles extinguished by nunchucks in one minute Xie Desheng snuffed out 52 open flames with nothing but ninja-like precision. —Scottie Andrew, CNN, 8 Sep. 2019

Also declared unconstitutional have been New York State’s ban on nunchucks and Connecticut’s ban on transporting a police baton when moving it to a new home. —David B. Kopel, National Review, 12 Sep. 2019

Sarafina Bush's deliberately tacky costumes are a hoot, and the frequent dance numbers, many of them incorporating martial arts moves (and nunchucks as well!), are a lot of fun. —Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 July 2019

See More

Word History

Etymology

probably representing Anglicization of nunchaku (with stress shift and deletion of final vowel)

Note: Alternatively, final vowel loss may reflect devoicing of -u in Japanese.

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above