Dan
/dæn/noun
A rank awarded in Japanese martial arts and other disciplines to indicate advanced proficiency.
Did you know?In Japanese ranking systems, dan grades traditionally follow kyū grades, turning martial training into a structured ascent through increasingly advanced levels.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Chinese
段 (duàn)
“A section, stage, step, or grade”
Ancient Japanese
Japanese
段 (dan)
“A step, level, or rank”
19th Century
Japanese
dan
“A formal grade in systems of skill or proficiency”
Early 20th Century
English
dan
“A rank in judo and related Japanese martial arts”
Modern English
English
dan
“An advanced proficiency rank, commonly associated with black-belt levels”