Abstract: This paper aims at investigating the definition and characteristics of qifu in Chinese from the etymological perspective. It examines the origin, history, and changes of qifu and its synonyms. The phenomenon of qifu expressed in Chinese literary works can be traced back to Shi•Binfeng•Chixiao, which appeared 2600 years ago. Over the long history, although different Chinese words were used to describe the qifu phenomenon, their implication was not much different. Qifu is that the strong harms the weak intentionally. The distinct feature of qifu is the imbalance of power between perpetrators and victims, while repetition is not a necessary characteristic. Qifu phenomenon in Chinese circumstance was different from bullying in English. In China, etymological research was very few in psychological fields, but it can improve understanding of some results of western researches, and advance the local and crosscultural studies.

Key words: wu, qifu, imbalance of power, etymology, localization