Taekwon-Do Belt System
White Belt
Indicates innocence; a newcomer to Taekwon-Do with a clean slate.
Yellow Belt
Signifies the earth in which a seed has been planted and starts to grow.
Green Belt
The stem of the plant which begins to grow from the earth; the student's skills begin to develop.
Blue Belt
The color of the sky as the plant grows higher, becoming a tall tree.
Red Belt
The color associated with danger; a reminder of the student's power, both to themselves and their opponents.
Black Belt
The opposite of white. The wearer has "crossed over" and is an expert in Taekwon-Do; their role is to teach the art to others. The belt indicates that the wearer can live through darkness and defies fear.
There are nine levels of black belt. The levels are called “dans” or “degrees.” There is a very large amount of time and work that black belts put in between dans. The rank is usually shown embroidered on the belt in Roman numerals, alongside the wearer’s name in Korean and English.
Dans I – III: Novice
Dans IV – VI: Instructor Level
Dans VII & VIII: Master
Dan IX: Grandmaster