Dans
/dænz/noun
Plural of dan, a rank or degree of proficiency in Japanese martial arts and related disciplines.
Did you know?In Japanese martial arts, dan ranks traditionally begin after the student system known as kyū, turning advancement into a structured climb of symbolic grades.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Chinese
段 (duàn)
“A section, segment, stage, or rank”
Classical Japanese
Japanese
段 (dan)
“A step, level, grade, or division”
17th–19th Century
Japanese
段位 (dani)
“A graded rank or degree of proficiency”
Late 19th–Early 20th Century
Japanese
dan
“A formal rank in martial arts and other traditional disciplines”
20th Century
English
dan
“A rank or grade, especially in judo, karate, and related arts”
Modern English
English
dans
“The plural form referring to multiple dan ranks”