柔道
jūdō[d͡ʑɨːdo̞ː]
judo is the English term for the Japanese martial art known as 柔道 (jūdō).
Meaning: Japanese martial art (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 柔 (jū) meaning 'gentle' or 'yielding' and 道 (dō) meaning 'way' or 'path'.
How do you pronounce it?
jūdō
Did you know?
- A unique custom in 柔道 is the ritual bow, which is performed not only to the instructor but also to the opponent and the mat before and after a match.
- The word 柔道 was coined by Kanō Jigorō in 1882 to distinguish his educational system from 柔術 ('jujutsu'), which focused more on combat and warfare.
- The word 道 ('way') appears in many Japanese arts, such as 茶道 ('tea ceremony') and 書道 ('calligraphy'), treating these activities as spiritual paths rather than just hobbies.
Examples in context
- 柔道に興味があります。jūdō ni kyōmi ga arimasu.I am interested in judo.
- 弟は柔道を習っています。otōto wa jūdō o naratte imasu.My younger brother is learning judo.
Example conversation
陽太 and 美咲 are talking about hobbies at a cafe.
- 陽太 Yota美咲さんは何かスポーツをしていますか？misaki-san wa nanika supōtsu o shite imasu ka?Misaki, do you do any sports?
- 美咲 Misakiはい、柔道をしています。hai, jūdō o shite imasu.Yes, I do judo.
- 陽太 Yotaすごいですね！かっこいいです。sugoi desu ne! kakkoii desu.That's amazing! It's cool.
- 美咲 Misakiありがとうございます。arigatō gozaimasu.Thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “judo” translations and entries 柔道, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
