Nunchucks

The nunchaku is a traditional East-Asian martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks (traditionally made of wood), connected to each other at their ends by a short metal chain or a rope. It is approximately 30 cm or 12 inches (sticks) and 7.6 cm or 3 inches (rope).

It is intended to be used as a training weapon, since practicing with it enables the development of quick hand movements and improves posture. Modern nunchaku may be made of metal, plastic, or fiberglass instead of the traditional wood.

Toy versions and replicas not intended to be used as weapons may be made of polystyrene foam or plastic.

Parts of nunchaku

Ana 穴: the hole on the kontoh of each handle for the himo to pass through—only nunchaku that are connected by himo have an ana.
Himo 紐: the rope, which connects the two handles of some nunchaku.
Kusari 鎖: the chain, which connects the two handles of some nunchaku.
Kontoh: the top of each handle.
Jukon-bu: the upper area of the handle.
Chukon-bu: the centre part of the handle.
Kikon-bu: the lower part of the handle.
Kontei: the bottom of the handle.

The use of nunchaku was, in the 1980s and 1990s, censored from UK rebroadcasts of American children's TV shows such as Thunder Cats and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoons and films.cter Li Long's nunchaku with a three-sectioned staff.