Which Korean term means 'Balance'?

• A. Kong Kyuck
• B. Chung Shim
• C. Jang Kwon
• D. Soo Ki

Answer: (B)

Balancing in martial arts is as much about where you keep your focus as where you place your feet. Chung Shim captures that steady, centered mindset—the mental state that supports physical balance. It literally conveys concentration or a centered mind, and that mental steadiness helps you maintain a solid base, control your breath, and stay poised during movements and transitions.

When you train, developing Chung Shim means you’re keeping your gaze and attention steady, coordinating your breath with your stance, and aligning your body so weight sits evenly over your feet. That combination of calm focus and bodily alignment is what lets you stay balanced under pressure and execute techniques smoothly.

Other terms refer to different aspects of fighting: for instance, a term associated with the fist, another with general technique, and another with footwork or movement detail. None of these alone conveys the same mental steadiness that underpins balance, which is why Chung Shim is the best fit for meaning balance.