jitsu

Jitsu is a romanization variant used in English to refer to a Japanese word that commonly appears as a suffix in the names of traditional martial arts. In modern writing, the standard spelling is usually -jutsu, as in ninjutsu or taijutsu; jitsu appears less frequently and is often an older or alternative transliteration. The term is typically attached to nouns that denote technique, art, or method rather than a standalone concept.

Etymology and kanji changes help explain the spelling variation. The most common form, jutsu (術), is read as jutsu in many compound words and means technique or art. A different kanji, 実, read as jitsu, means “truth” or “reality.” In martial arts contexts, the jutsu reading is the normative one, and jitsu is not used with that meaning. Historical romanizations sometimes produced jiu-jitsu (柔術), an older rendering of the same title for the gentle art, leading to continued use of diverse spellings in English-language sources and school names.

Modern usage reflects transliteration practice rather than a distinct concept. The spelling jitsu persists mainly as a variant in older texts, branding, or specific school names, while contemporary scholarship and most practitioners prefer jutsu. Outside of martial arts naming, jitsu is not generally used as a separate term in English.

See also: jujutsu, ninjutsu, taijutsu, transliteration.