variants or less commonly t'ai chi or tai chi chuan or t'ai chi ch'uan
ˈtī-ˈchē-chü-ˈän,
ˈtī-ˈjē- How to pronounce tai chi (audio)
often capitalized T&C
: an ancient Chinese discipline of meditative movements practiced as a system of exercises

Examples of tai chi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These exercises can be as simple as standing on one foot, but may also include yoga or tai chi. Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 29 Sep. 2025 Alcindor had become especially curious about tai chi. Jeff Chang september 25, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025 Some great exercises for that are Pilates, yoga, tai chi and dynamic stretching. Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025 During the tai chi event, a group of judges watched carefully as the robot competitors moved gracefully to the rhythm of soft music in the background, jotting down notes and scoring the performances with the seriousness of an Olympic panel. Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC news, 19 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tai chi

Word History

Etymology

Chinese (Beijing) tàijíquán, from tàijí the Absolute in Chinese cosmology + quán fist, boxing

First Known Use

1954, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tai chi was in 1954

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tai chi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tai%20chi. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

tai chi

noun
ˈtī-ˈjē How to pronounce tai chi (audio)
-ˈchē
often capitalized T&C
: an ancient Chinese system of movements performed for meditation or exercise

Medical Definition

tai chi

noun
variants also t'ai chi or tai chi chuan or t'ai chi ch'uan
-chü-ˈän
often capitalized T&C
: an ancient Chinese discipline involving a continuous series of controlled usually slow movements designed to improve physical and mental well-being

More from Merriam-Webster on tai chi

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