Kyu

From Karate, Kungfu, Wrestling, Mixed Fighting Information Source

Kyū (級) is a Japanese term used in martial arts, chadō, ikebana, go, shogi and in other similar activities to designate various degrees or levels of proficiency or experience.

In Japanese martial arts kyū-level practitioners hold the ranks below black belt. The kyū ranking system varies from art to art and school to school: while in some arts, all the kyū-level practitioners wear white belts, other arts use different coloured belts, tags or stripes to mark kyū grades. This being said, coloured belts are not widely used in Japan itself. Kendo and Bujinkan are examples where rank is not visually (by a belt or otherwise) identified.

Using only white belts for kyū is more traditional, but many schools have found the identification of each grade useful to help training progress; a higher belt is something to aim for, whilst identifying a higher grade makes it easier to group beginners with beginners or with someone more experienced as the exercise merits.

Kyū-level practitioners are traditionally called mudansha, "ones without dan" and are considered as initiates rather than students - they only achieve that title once they have reached the ranking of 1st Dan.

Variations of Kyu Among styles

Although most Western schools have some form of kyū ranking system, the number and colour can vary between schools. What seems to remain constant is that the lowest kyū is white, whereas the highest is brown. Additionally, the majority of Japanese martial arts schools use ten ranks of kyū below black belt. A noteworthy exception is the majority of aikido schools, which use only six. Some schools, especially those that primarily teach children, will sometimes use many more.