jujitsu
/ˌd͡ʒuːˈd͡ʒɪtsuː/noun, verb
jujitsu is spelled J-U-J-I-T-S-U: 7 letters and 3 syllables. It appears about once in every 6 million words in written English, the 71,529th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, jujitsu means “A Japanese martial art and method of self-defence, typically unarmed, emphasizing manipulating an opponent’s force against themselves rather than…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of jujitsu is jujitsus.
How many letters and syllables are in jujitsu?
| Letters | 7: J-U-J-I-T-S-U |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 6 million words; the 71,529th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is jujitsu?
Jujitsu appears about once in every 6 million words in written English, the 71,529th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce jujitsu?
- /ˌd͡ʒuːˈd͡ʒɪtsuː/
Jujitsu has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-jujitsu.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of jujitsu
- jujitsus plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- jiu-jitsu
- jiujitsu
- ju-jitsu
- ju-jutsu
- jujutsu
- jūjutsu
- jujitsu's present, singular, he/she/it
- jujitsuing participle, present
- jujitsu-ing participle, present
- jujitsued participle, past
- jujitsu-ed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does jujitsu mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A Japanese martial art and method of self-defence, typically unarmed, emphasizing manipulating an opponent’s force against themselves rather than directly opposing it with force, and using a wide variety of holds, throws, and defensive techniques.
- 2
Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a related art, derived from judo.
- 3
Strategic maneuvering, especially with the aim of using the strength of one's opponent against them in an unexpected or counterintuitive way.
verb
- 1
To attack (someone) or overcome (a challenge) with strategic maneuvering.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Jujitsu in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense method of self-defence established in Japan:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | jujitsu |
| German | Jiu-Jitsu |
| Portuguese | jiu-jitsu |
| Spanish | ju-jutsu |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does jujitsu come from?
Borrowed from Japanese 柔術 (jūjutsu). Popular spelling jitsu (instead of less popular jiutsu or jutsu) could reference to allophonic [d͡ʑɨ] or [d͡ʑi] (in Shitamachi dialect). First mentioned in The Japan Mail (1875, page 133), before the widespread use of the Hepburn system.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).