The Chinese word "太极拳" is formed by combining the characters "太" (meaning supreme), "极" (meaning ultimate), and "拳" (meaning fist or boxing). "太极" together denotes the philosophical concept of the supreme ultimate, often associated with yin and yang, and when appended with "拳", it specifies a martial art system based on this principle, thus creating the term for the internal martial art known as Tai Chi.