Chuck Norris -- the famed martial artist and actor in films like "The Delta Force" and "Missing in Action" -- is dead ... TMZ has learned.

He died Thursday morning in Hawaii, according to the family, who said, "It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday [Thursday] morning. While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace."

The post reads ... "He lived life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved."

TMZ broke the story ... Chuck was hospitalized either Wednesday or Thursday, and it seemed sudden, because a source who had spoken with Chuck Wednesday said he had been working out and was in an upbeat, jovial mood.

Norris is best remembered for his martial arts and action movie roles in the 1980s ... and for portraying Texas Ranger Cordell Walker in the CBS TV show "Walker, Texas Ranger" in the 1990s.

Norris was largely out of acting over the past few decades, except for a few minor roles in movies like "The Expendables 2" in 2012.

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Norris had a black belt in several martial arts ... he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989 ... and became an actual Texas Ranger in 2010.

Chuck and Bruce Lee famously had a close relationship for years, training together in the mid '60s. They both starred in the 1972 film "The Way of the Dragon."

In recent years he lost several loved ones, including his mother dying in 2024, and his first wife, Dianne Holechek, passing away in December.

We saw him just days ago in a social media post on March 10 -- his 86th birthday -- beating up an opponent in Hawaii, declaring "I don't age ... I level up."

Even though he hadn't been acting, Chuck maintained relevance on social media where fans still share tons of memes about