Chun-Li’s mixed fighting style makes her one of the best characters in Street Fighter 6. But her unpredictability and power come at a price: She’s one of the most technical brawlers in the entire base roster. Mastering Chun-Li’s moves and stances is particularly challenging because she’s a charged character; her effective combos require precise timing and are therefore punishable.

For those seeking to main Chun-Li despite her complexity, this guide offers a step-by-step procedure to understand her mechanics, learn her combos, and deal with her counters.

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Strategies for Chun-Li

To make the most of Chun-Li's moves in Street Fighter 6, players should adopt a balanced strategy that incorporates both her aggressive and passive techniques. With her ability to both attack and defend through whiff punishes and lunges, mastering both approaches is key to making Chun-Li a formidable main character.

• Focus on whiff punishment. Chun-Li’s speedy movement is ideal for counterattacks. Use her footwork to lure the enemy into making mistakes and punish them with leaping attacks like Spinning Bird Kick.
• Encourage aerial combat. Poke the enemy and force them to go airborne. Chun-Li’s anti-air arsenal includes damaging moves like Tensho Kicks, Soaring Eagle Punches, and Aerial Hundred Lightning Kicks, which can devastate the opponents in the air and create combo setups.
• Chase the knocked-down opponent. Chun-Li’s strikes are pushback-heavy. Utilize her dash or Drive Rush to bridge the gaps, capitalizing on the Okizeme opportunities. (Don’t overuse her Drive Gauge, though; Chun-Li relies on Overdrive or enhanced moves for most of her deadly combos).
• Change stances to confuse the enemy. There are two ways to deceive the guarded opponent: Falling Crane and Serenity Stream. Falling Crane involves a cross-up that not only inflicts damage but also alters the opponent's stance direction. Serenity Stream, however, is a sitting stance that enhances Chun-Li’s six main strikes and expands her moveset.

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Chun-Li’s Move List

Stance moves included, Chun-Li has 29 commands. Of these, fifteen are Unique Attacks, seven are Special Moves, four are Super Arts, and the rest are Throws. Her uncommon moves are mostly focused on kicking and are effective at a mid-range.

Best Combos for Chun-Li

As a mid-range fighter with a speed archetype, Chun-Li benefits from the check, jump-in, blast sequence. She must check and hit-confirm before crashing into the enemy’s guard and bullying them with chained strikes.

Chun-Li’s best combo starter is her Standing Medium Punch, which is plus on the block. Her best combo ender is the Spinning Bird Kick, which drops the enemy in the Oki zone.

Beginner: Drive Impact into Chun Li’s Lightning Kick Barrage

A simple but also effective combo for Chun-Li is a Drive Impact, followed by a medium punch and Lightning Kick Barrage. This basic sequence punishes whiffs and has enough pushback force to corner the opponent.

Intermediate: Hakkei into Kikosho

For a stronger combo, start with a crouching medium kick and link it to a Drive Rush and medium punch. Once the opponent’s stance is broken, do a back heavy punch followed by a quarter-circle forward heavy kick. And finally, conclude the combo with Chun-Li’s Level 1 Super Art.

Advanced: Lightning Kick Barrage & Soten Ranka

To maximize Chun-Li's damage, start with a jumping heavy punch followed by a crouching heavy punch. Then, initiate a Drive Rush toward the opponent and execute another crouching heavy punch. Finally, finish with a quarter-circle back kick-kick, a quarter-circle forward kick-kick, and a double quarter-circle back kick.

This Level 3 combo delivers over 20 hits and inflicts up to 5,700 damage. Additionally, it has the potential to cause even more damage when Chun-Li's vitality falls to 25% or below and her Critical Art is activated.

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Pros and Cons of Playing as Chun-Li

Chun-Li is one of the high-ranked characters in Street Fighter 6’s tier list. She’s a versatile mid-range fighter with consistent pokes, potent combos, and invincible anti-airs. However, Chun-Li is an overly technical pick with long-range vulnerabilities.

Pros

• Safe pokes.
• Neutral authority.
• Whiff punishment.
• Movement advantage.
• Devastating normal-to-Special combos.

Cons

• Projectile vulnerability.
• Drive Rush consumption.
• Charged and delayed inputs.

Tips for Winning with Chun-Li

Winning with a character like Chun-Li requires precision and patience. Although she’s a speed-type fighter, Chun-Li doesn't gain as much advantage from a risky strategy as Cammy does. Here are three pro tips for mastering her gameplay and defeating foes with ease.

Cancel Lightening Kick Barrage into Lv. 2 Super

On its own, Lightening Kick Barrage is an effective base combo. But by linking it to a Level 2 Super Art, players can get a solid, safe pushback combination.

Since Lightening Kick Barrage starts with a quarter-circle forward, it can be canceled into Hoyoku-sen, which adds an extra series of kicks to the attack and sends the enemy flying.

Connect Lv. 1 Super Art to Hundred Lightning Kicks

A proper link for Chun-Li is Hundred Lightning Kicks into the Level 1 Super Art. The Lightning Kicks will push the enemy backward, while the Lv. 1 Super Art will knock them down with a projectile, setting up a strategic Okizeme opportunity.

Use Serenity Stream as a Feint

Serenity Stream is a sitting stance that changes Chun-Li’s normals. But it can be used as a feint, too, especially when the opponent can’t read its properties. If the enemy is playing for the zone, exploit Chun-Li’s sitting stance to lure them into an aggressive strategy. Since she looks vulnerable in this position, the enemies are likely to push first and whiff.

Escape Corners with Chun-Li’s Wall-Jump

When near walls, Chun-Li gets a unique jump animation that allows her to wall-run. Use this move to her advantage and escape the corners at no cost.

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How to Counter Chun-Li

Because Chun-Li lacks throw loops, she is mostly defenseless against close-range grapplers like E. Honda, Zangief, and Marisa. However, players can also counter her with long-range zoners like JP and Dhalsim, provided that they keep her at bay.

Strategy-wise, countering Chun-Li requires calculated attack and defense because she’s one of the best whiff punishers in the game. Chun-Li can easily get in after a hit-confirm, forcing the opponent to read her moves and avoid mistakes at all costs.

Street Fighter 6 is available now for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.