Belt Ranking System for Genbu-Kai

 Rank levels in Karate are called Kyu, pronounced [Q], meaning class. A student starts at 10th Kyu "no rank" and works their way to 1st Kyu. Once a student reaches black belt level, the ranking changes to Dan, pronounced [don], meaning step. You start at 1st Dan and work your way up.  Shodan means 1st step or most commonly known in English as 1st degree black belt.  Many instructors say that a student's karate training starts at black belt hence calling it 1st step.