Ranks
and Titles
Rank |
Pronunciation |
English |
| Soke | Sew-key | |
| Kaicho | K-eye-cho | Head of style |
| Kancho | Carn-cho | Head of house ( runs a Honbu) |
| Shibucho | Sheboo-Cho | Regional head |
|
Hanshi |
Harn-she |
Grandmaster |
|
Tasshi |
Ta-she |
Probationary
6th & 6th Dan, Literally |
|
Shihan |
She-harn |
Upper Master Literally "Master Instructor" or "Teacher of Teachers" |
|
Renshi |
Ren-she |
Lower
Master Literally "Person who has |
|
Dai-sensei |
Day-sen-say |
Upper Teacher |
|
Sensei |
Sen-say |
Teacher |
|
Dai-sempai |
Day-sempai |
Upper Instructor |
|
Sempai |
Sem-pie |
Senior Student or Lower Instructor |
|
Yondan |
Yon-darn |
4th dan |
|
Sandan |
Sarn-darn |
3rd dan |
|
Nidan |
Knee-darn |
2nd dan |
|
Shodan |
Show-dan |
1st dan |
|
Shodan Ho |
Show-dan-ho |
Black Belt |
|
Ikkyuu |
Ick-queue |
Brown Belt - 2 Black Bars |
|
Nikyuu |
knee-queue |
Brown Belt - Black Bar |
|
Sankyuu |
Sarn-queue |
Brown Belt |
|
Yonkyuu |
Yawn-queue |
Green Belt - 2 Brown Bars |
|
Gokyuu |
Goh-queue |
Green Belt - Brown Bar |
|
Rokkyuu |
Rock-queue |
Green Belt |
|
Nanakyuu |
Nah-nah-queue |
Blue Belt - Green Bar |
|
Hakkyuu |
Huck-queue |
Blue Belt |
|
Kyuu-kyuu |
Queue-queue |
White belt - Blue tag |
Bushi Kai Ranks and Belts
| Shodan-Ho | Probationary 1st Degree | Solid Black Belt |
| Shodan | 1st Degree | Solid Black Belt |
| Nidan | 2nd Degree | Red writing on Black Belt |
| Sandan | 3rd Degree | No change |
| Yondan | 4th Degree | White and red on Black Belt (white uppermost) |
| Godan | 5th Degree | Red and white on Black Belt (red uppermost) |
| Rokudan | 6th Degree | Black Belt with 1cm red centre strip |
| Shichidan | 7th Degree | Black and red on Black Belt (black uppermost) |
| Hachidan | 8th Degree | Red and white on Black Belt (black uppermost) |
| Kudan | 9th Degree | Red Belt with 2cm black strip |
| Judan | 10th Degree | Solid Red Belt |
Six characters are to be embroidered on the right hand side a nidan belt. The top three are Japanese for "kara-te-do," which translates literally as "empty-hand-way." The bottom three characters are Chinese for "Che-Ahloong-Pei," which translates as "Red Dragon System." Thus the six read "Empty Hand Way of the Red Dragon System."
Your name, translated into Japanese script is embroidered on the left side of your belt.
