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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

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