judo; jujutsu
Bound form used in compounds related to judo and jujutsu, such as 柔道 and 柔術. Not used as a standalone word.
The 柔 in 柔道 can be read as やわら.
古い文献では、柔らが柔術を指すことがある。
In old texts, 柔ら can refer to jujutsu.
Standard kanji spelling for this bound form used in judo/jujutsu contexts.
Irregular okurigana usage.
Alternate kanji spelling; rarely used in practice.
Alternate kanji spelling; rarely used in practice.
The reading やわら is a native Japanese word meaning 'soft' or 'gentle', used as a bound form in martial arts terms. The exact historical derivation of this specific reading in the context of judo/jujutsu is uncertain.