Jujutsu
/dʒuːˈdʒʊtsuː/noun
A Japanese martial art focused on using an opponent’s force against them.
Did you know?The name comes from Japanese 柔術, and the first character 柔 (jū) carries the idea of yielding or softness, while 術 (jutsu) means technique or art.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Middle Chinese
nyuw
“soft; pliant; yielding”
Classical Chinese
Chinese
柔
“soft, pliant, gentle”
Japanese
Japanese
柔術 (jūjutsu)
“soft/yielding technique or art”
19th Century
English
jujutsu
“A Japanese system of unarmed combat based on grappling and leverage”
Modern English
English
jujutsu
“A Japanese martial art using holds, throws, and joint locks”