Fu-Rin-Ka-Zan is an abbreviation of the phrase stated in, `Sonshi' (Chinese books about tactics), `其疾如風 其徐如林 侵掠如火 不動如山' (as fast as the wind, as quiet as the forest, as daring as fire, and as immovable as the mountain) (In Sonshi, it is followed by the phrase, `as hard as to understand a shade, as fast as thunder')
風林火山は、孫子(書物)に記された「其疾如風其徐如林侵掠如火不動如山（その疾（はや）きこと風の如く、その徐（しず）かなること林の如く、侵（おか）し掠（かす）めること火の如く、動かざること山の如し）」（孫子ではこの後に「難知如陰　動如雷霆　（知り難きこと陰の如く、動くこと雷霆（らいてい＝雷）の如し）」と続く）という語句を略したものである。