The crossbow is pronounced as nu in Chinese. There are many kinds of nu including jianu, sounu, tangnu, danu, jhugenu, douzinu, linu, shenbinu, huajhuangnu, chuandengnu. The crossbow is from the bow, so there is one Chinese crossbow called wogong, "gong" meaning the bow, and another Chinese Crossbow called, nujian, "jian" meaning the arrow.

       The crossbow is more powerful than the bow. There is a more developed mechanism to it, and its shooting distance is longer than that of the bow. According to archaeologists, the earliest Chinese crossbows came on the scene in the Shang Dynasty (1800-1400 BC). They were made of timber and were not particularly powerful. It was not until the Spring and Autumn Period that a family named Cing from the kingdom of the Chu improved the wood crossbow by adding bronze parts, then the crossbow became an important weapon. The kingdom of the Wei in the Warring States Period invented a crossbow called, shierdan jhih nu. It was too big and required the user to use his legs to pull the bowstring, and shierdan, about 120 kg., indicated the strength required to use this weapon.

       In the wusia novel, Siaoao Jianghu, by Jin Yong, a crossbow called dushui jinu is very often used by the Mojiao gang. Dushui is a smelly toxic liquid, which is attached onto the arrow. It will erode the victim's fresh to the bone. The shenciunu created in Husia Jiaowa by Cin Hong, is a special concealed weapon from the Tang family from the Sichuan Province. Its arrow can twist and change the shape of the shaft, and flies like a guided missile; it can persistently follow or find the enemy.