Taekwondo (also spelled tae kwon do, taekwon-do, or more exactly taegwondo[1]) is a martial art (system of fighting) of Korean origin, similar enough to the Japanese karate. It is based on the utilization of the hands and feet in order to attack or to be defended from an adversary, although some techniques use fingertips, elbows, or knees in order to strike the opponent. Taekwondo is a national sport in South Korea, kyeorugi is a sport event in the Olympic Games. In the Korean alphabet hangeul, 태 (跆) signifies "to strike with the foot"; 권 (拳) to "strike with the hand"; and 도 (道) signifies "way", "road" or "route". Taekwondo can therefore be translated as "way of the foot and of the fist".
