 The term kung fu, or rather gong fu, doesn't actually mean martial arts. It means to acquire an achievement or skill in any trade. Now if you want to say martial arts in Chinese, the term is wuxiu, not to be confused with the specific art of the same name. Zhuangou wuxiu is the actual translation for Chinese martial arts. Now many stories credit the beginning of kung fu to shallow monks, however the history runs too deep and vast to designate one single origin. There are hundreds of styles, differences in northern southern regions, and even cultural variations. Now in terms of distinguishing features, kung fu typically exhibits circular flowing motions of combat often taken on animal characteristics and delivering quick, deceptive strikes. A student's familial standing with their teacher or sifu determines their status versus the belt ranking system in the Japanese arts. The influence of kung fu is global, including mixing with local Okinawan and Japanese fighting styles to form the basis of karate and kappou respectively.