Dan (rank) highest level that might be attained, with instructor certification and judge/judgment authorization being understood as higher-level or more sophisticated. Many arts use between one and ten dan ranks: In some martial arts, black belts are worn for all "dan" grades. In others, the highest grade (10th "dan") wears a red colored belt. In Jūdo and Shotokan 6th to 8th "dan" may wear a red and white-patterned belt and 9th to 10th "dan" may wear a solid red belt. There is some variation even within styles. Generally, belts do not have markings that indicate the actual "dan" grade. Okinawan styles used
Dan (rank) always use the term Duanwei. Korean martial arts lacked a grading system up until the Japanese occupation (1910–1945) during which a variety of Japanese martial arts were introduced into the Korean school system, most notably judo, karate-do and kendo. After the occupation ended, newly emerging martial arts like taekwondo, tang soo do, soo bahk do and hapkido adopted the dan (단, 段) and "geup" (급, 級) ranks. The dan rank system is also used by "baduk" players. Nowadays, the Korea Taekkyon Association also issues dan ranks to "taekkyeon" practitioners. Someone who has received a dan rank is called a "yudanja"