The overall term for “ranking system” is 段級制 (dankyū-sei) which is the dan-kyū ranking system. The category of ranks and grading is expressed with: 段位 (dan’i) — danDan 段 is a graded level or stage of advancement in Japanese arts, especially martial arts. More ranks and 級位 (kyū’i) — kyū ranks. The danDan 段 is a graded level or stage of advancement in Japanese arts, especially martial arts. More 段 (danDan 段 is a graded level or stage of advancement in Japanese arts, especially martial arts. More) ranks are the black belt levels. DanDan 段 is a graded level or stage of advancement in Japanese arts, especially martial arts. More means “grade,” “step,” “stage.” The lower ranks, made up of beginner and intermediate students, are referred to as 級 (kyū) ranks which means “class” or “level.” Combined, the term is 段級 (dan-kyū), meaning “ranks and grades.”
Kyu student grades are numbered in reverse order, from high to low, with 1st kyu being the highest rank, just under shodan, the first black belt rank, and starting from 10th kyu, being the lowest rank, just above white belt, or no rank. Students with kyu grades are called mudansha. The kyu ranks are called 10th Kyu Jūkyū (十級); 9th Kyu 九級 (Kyūkyū); 8th Kyu 八級 (Hachikyū); 7th Kyu七級 (Nanakyū); 6th Kyu六級 (Rokkyū); 5th Kyu五級 (Gokyū); 4th Kyu四級 (Shikyū); 3rd Kyu三級 (Sankyū); 2nd Kyu二級 (Nikyū); 1st Kyu一級 (Ikkyū).
The danDan 段 is a graded level or stage of advancement in Japanese arts, especially martial arts. More ranking starts at 1st danDan 段 is a graded level or stage of advancement in Japanese arts, especially martial arts. More, and moves upward through 10th danDan 段 is a graded level or stage of advancement in Japanese arts, especially martial arts. More. Students with danDan 段 is a graded level or stage of advancement in Japanese arts, especially martial arts. More grades are called yudansha. Each rank is named as follows: shodan 初段, nidan 弐段/二段, sandan 参段/三段, yondan 四段, godan 五段, rokudan 六段, shichidan or nanadan 七段, hachidan 八段, kudan 九段, judan 十段.
Junior students are called kohai; senior students are called senpai.
