Martial arts rank is a system of titles used to indicate the LEVEL of skill and experience of a martial artist. The most common ranks are DAN and BELT. DAN is a Japanese term meaning 'LEVEL' or 'DEGREE' and is usually used in martial arts such as judo, karate, and aikido. BELT is a more general term used in many martial arts styles, such as taekwondo, kung fu, and jiu-jitsu. Both DAN and BELT ranks are awarded to practitioners based on their performance and knowledge of the martial art.