In karate, the belt worn by practitioners is called an "obi". The color of the belt signifies the skill level of the student, with white being the beginner belt that indicates no progress. The order of belt colors varies depending on the style, school, and country, but the most common colors used in karate are white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown, and black. The black belt is often seen as a symbol of competence in the art, not mastery of it, and achieving the first dan is considered the beginning of the journey. Here is a list of some of the most common belt colors and their meanings:
- White Belt: beginner belt that indicates no progress
- Yellow Belt: symbolizes the first ray of sunlight and indicates that the students mind is open to accept more possible techniques and methods
- Orange Belt: indicates that the student has made some great initial progress in studying karate and has learned the meaning of Kyokushinkai, the dojo etiquette, and the process of properly folding the karate gi
- Green Belt: depicts the penetration of steams and roots of the plant to get the sunlight, indicating that the student is developing new skills and learning new techniques to master the game
- Blue Belt: represents the sky and the students continued progress towards the heavens, indicating that the student is advancing in skill level
- Brown Belt: indicates that the student is approaching the level of black belt and is mastering the art of karate
- Black Belt: symbolizes competence in the art of karate, not mastery of it, and achieving the first dan is considered the beginning of the journey
