Jiu-Jitsu is Portuguese transcription of the Japanese word "Ju Jutsu", which means "gentle skill" or "gentle art". Japanese martial arts often have the suffix "jutsu", like kenjutsu, jujutsu, aiki-jutsu. Often these arts later get modified into sports, which also serve the goal of self-improvement and spiritual self-realisation, and get the suffix "do", which means "way". So you get kendo, judo, aikido, karate-do, etc.
The thing that most people don't understand is the context of the word "Ju" or "Gentle." It doesn't really mean gentle in the sense that you're lightly touching something; at least not in this case. In Japanese, "gentle" is synonymous with "yielding." So sometimes people translate "Jujitsu" as "Yielding art." In any case, the entire idea behind Jujitsu, both traditional and modern day, has been the emphasis of technique over power. It's yielding in the sense that you yield to your opponent's strengths; you don't try to go head to head. Instead, you use your strength to attack his weakness. That is what is meant by "gentle" or "yielding." Obviously, if you've seen some of the traditional Japanese Jujitsu moves, or even modern day techniques, you know that they never meant it as gentle in the sense that you're touching someone gently.
The ending jitsu emphasizes the martial/skill aspect, do emphasizes the way/path aspect. Some schools refer to karate-jitsu, if they see themselves as very practical.
Woah a 10 year old thread that nobody is banned in. Also that Gavin Lefever guy sounds really familiar and there is a picture of him on google standing in front of my teams banner, but I've never seen him. hmmmm
