Adapted from a farm implement, the jitte was an instrument approximately a foot long, two-pronged fork with a blunt tip. The central prong was the longest, and a single secondary prong branched outward from this just above the handle. It was ideally used to disarm an opponent and was wielded like a knife. The jitte was often associated with the duties of a magistrate, and because of this suffered less of a social stigma than the sai, due to the latter's perception as a peasant weapon. The jitte was wielded similarly to a knife since it shared many of the same characteristics.