The Boxer Rebellion Was Named by Translators
A boxer fights with fists. The Chinese uprising of 1899 got its English name because Westerners translated the rebels' name as Boxers.
A boxer fights with the fists, and is also a breed of dog and a style of underwear. The Boxer Rebellion of 1899 to 1901 carries an English translation as its name: the movement called itself the Yihetuan, the Militia United in Righteousness, and Western observers rendered the martial arts practised by its members as *boxing*. The Chinese name never mentioned boxing at all.
- A fist fighter. *A heavyweight boxer.*
- A dog breed. *A brindle boxer.*
- Boxer shorts — loose underwear. *A pair of boxers.*
- Boxer Rebellion — the Chinese uprising of 1899. *The Boxer Rebellion.*
- Boxer engine — a flat engine layout. *A boxer engine.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | boxer | An amateur boxer. |
| Plural | boxers | Two boxers. |
| Verb | box | He boxed at university. |
| Noun | boxing | Olympic boxing. |
| Compound | boxer shorts | Cotton boxer shorts. |
- The boxer retired undefeated.Sport.
- Boxer shorts were named for the fighters' trunks.Clothing.
- The Boxer Rebellion is a translated name.History.
Things called boxer
- The fighter — from *box*, to strike, of uncertain origin
- The dog — a German breed, said to use its front paws in play
- Boxer shorts — modelled on boxing trunks, from the 1940s
- Boxer engine — pistons move like fists punching, in opposed pairs
- Boxer Rebellion — a Western translation of a Chinese movement's name
From *box*, to strike with the fists, of uncertain origin, plus the agent ending -er. The historical and clothing senses are nineteenth and twentieth century.
Why is it called the Boxer Rebellion?
Because Westerners described the martial arts practised by the Yihetuan movement as boxing. The Chinese name means Militia United in Righteousness.
Why is a flat engine called a boxer?
Because opposed pistons move outward and inward together, like two fists punching.