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While researching potential martial arts that I could learn, I've come across something that really confuses me. It's in terms of Japanese martial arts...

What's the main difference between -do and -jutsu? Like in Judo/Jujutsu and Kendo/Kenjutsu?

Also, what does -kai mean?

Sektor31 wrote:Also, what does -kai mean?

Maybe its the sound you make when you break your bones.

"jitsu" roughly means a sum of techniques, "do" means "way of.."

Ju-jitsu is an older type of martial art which includes striking, tossing, strangling and even use of weapons, it could be quite offensive.

Judo was founded by Dr. Jigro Kano in 1882, he was a ju-jitsu practicer and he combined different types of ju-jitsu, kept the less harmful techniques and focused on developing the mind as well as body, thus creating a new martial art.

Kendo is the sport form of kenjitsu and it's targets are restricted, kenjitsu has no limits and is focused on training a swordsman. However, that doesn't mean that kendo is less practical.

"Kai" means "meet", an "<insert name> kai" means the organization of practicers, a kai may have lots of dojos.

There is another word "Ryu" which means "form of..." in Japanese. Almost all types of Japanese martial arts have different forms, focused on different philosophies, techniques...etc

Simplistically, -do styles are martial arts designed for self-enlightenment and self-improvement. -jutsu styles are warrior's arts designed to kill with maximum efficiency.

Montcalm wrote:

Sektor31 wrote:Also, what does -kai mean?

Maybe its the sound you make when you break your bones.

Yup...I heard that when my handstand failed on me Friday and my foot made lethal contact with my thumb...

Anyway, thanks alot all of you. So -do would be "lesser" forms of the -jutsu versions? Meaning more to the exercising side rather than the fighting side?

Sektor31 wrote:Yup...I heard that when my handstand failed on me Friday and my foot made lethal contact with my thumb...

Anyway, thanks alot all of you. So -do would be "lesser" forms of the -jutsu versions? Meaning more to the exercising side rather than the fighting side?

More to the exercising side and less aggressive on the fighting side.

Edit: And this only applies to those with a -jitsu and -do. Other stuff like Tae Kwan Do or Jeet Kun Do are the only name of their forms.

Sektor31 wrote:

Montcalm wrote:

Sektor31 wrote:Also, what does -kai mean?

Maybe its the sound you make when you break your bones.

Yup...I heard that when my handstand failed on me Friday and my foot made lethal contact with my thumb...

Anyway, thanks alot all of you. So -do would be "lesser" forms of the -jutsu versions? Meaning more to the exercising side rather than the fighting side?

Hardly, walk into a Karatedo club and boast that all they do is for exercise and form and they'll be more than happy to show you a painful demonstration of the effectiveness of their particular art. Do some on-line background checks for different martial art styles is an excellent idea! However, the power of a demonstration is great. Sit in on a class or maybe participate. Perhaps that reall cool style that you've been researching has a tool of an instructor. You'll never find that out online.