

Jujutsu, the standard English language spelling, is derived using the Hepburn romanization system. Derived sport forms include the Olympic sport and martial art of judo, which was developed by Kanō Jigorō in the late 19th century from several traditional styles of jujutsu, and sambo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which were derived from earlier (pre–World War II) versions of Kodokan judo that had more emphasis on ground fighting (which also caused the creation of kosen judo). Today, jujutsu is practiced in both traditional self-defense oriented and modern sports forms. In addition to jujutsu, many schools teach the use of weapons. Jujutsu schools ( ryū) may utilize all forms of grappling techniques to some degree (e.g., throwing, takedowns, leg sweeps, trapping, pins, joint locks, holds, chokeholds, strangulation, gouging, biting, hair pulling, disengagements, striking, and kicking). There are many variations of the art, which leads to a diversity of approaches. These techniques were developed around the principle of using an attacker's energy against them, rather than directly opposing it. Because striking against an armored opponent proved ineffective, practitioners learned that the most efficient methods for neutralizing an enemy took the form of pins, joint locks, and throws. Jujutsu developed to combat the samurai of feudal Japan as a method for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no form of weapon, or only a short weapon.

"Jujutsu" thus has the meaning of "yielding-art", as its core philosophy is to manipulate the opponent's force against themself rather than confronting it with one's own force. " Jū" can be translated as "gentle, soft, supple, flexible, pliable, or yielding", and " jutsu" can be translated as "art or technique".
