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

Examples of nunchuck in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Over the years, more animated series came at audiences like twirling nunchucks while Paramount, which landed the rights to the property via Viacom in 2009, put out two live-action movie produced by Michael Bay that starred Megan Fox and Will Arnett in the mid-2010s. —Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Apr. 2024

Second only to Lynskey in luminescence in this movie is Wood, whose Tony named his dog Kevin and specializes in nunchucks and ninja stars. —EW.com, 18 Jan. 2024

As for Rhonda’s interior, it was equipped with a refrigerator, couch and nunchucks. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 6 Dec. 2023

Cats had Buck knives, switchblades, brass knuckles, baseball bats, and nunchucks. —Matt Thompson, Spin, 26 Sep. 2023

If the Second Amendment is not limited to firearms, Monday’s ruling also calls into question state-level bans on weapons like truncheons, saps, billy clubs, nunchucks, and the like. —Matt Ford, The New Republic, 9 Aug. 2023

But there was a problem with the initial designs for the film’s four reptile heroes: Instead of looking like muscular teens, these Turtles were scrawny and malnourished, barely strong enough to wield nunchucks or hurl a throwing star. —Brent Lang, Variety, 26 July 2023

John Wick: Chapter 4' Keanu Reeves knows kung fu – and nunchucks and gunplay and a steel will, too – as the title ex-assassin fights for his freedom from the shadowy High Table and battles all comers, leading to a Paris showdown for most if not all the marbles. —Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 6 June 2023

Kentucky Derby 2023:Secretariat's legacy remains untouched 50 years after Triple Crown While adults participated with the fan and sword teams, younger martial arts students performed with nunchucks. —The Courier-Journal, 30 Apr. 2023

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