<Ul> <Li> The junior section of ranks - the "color belt" ranks - are indicated by the Korean word geup 급 (級) (also Romanized as gup or kup). Practitioners in these ranks generally wear belts ranging in color from white (the lowest rank) to red (higher ranks, depending on the style of taekwondo). Belt colors may be solid or may include a colored stripe on a solid background . The number of geup ranks varies depending on the style, typically ranging between 8 and 12 geup ranks . The numbering sequence for geup ranks usually begins at the larger number of white belts, and then counts down to "1st geup" as the highest color - belt rank . </Li> <Li> The senior section of ranks - the "black belt" ranks - is typically made up of nine ranks . Each rank is called a dan 단 (段) or "degree" (as in "third dan" or "third - degree black belt"). The numbering sequence for dan ranks is opposite that of geup ranks: numbering begins at 1st dan (the lowest black - belt rank) and counts upward for higher ranks . A practitioner's degree is sometimes indicated on the belt itself with stripes, Roman numerals, or other methods . </Li> </Ul> <Li> The junior section of ranks - the "color belt" ranks - are indicated by the Korean word geup 급 (級) (also Romanized as gup or kup). Practitioners in these ranks generally wear belts ranging in color from white (the lowest rank) to red (higher ranks, depending on the style of taekwondo). Belt colors may be solid or may include a colored stripe on a solid background . The number of geup ranks varies depending on the style, typically ranging between 8 and 12 geup ranks . The numbering sequence for geup ranks usually begins at the larger number of white belts, and then counts down to "1st geup" as the highest color - belt rank . </Li> <Li> The senior section of ranks - the "black belt" ranks - is typically made up of nine ranks . Each rank is called a dan 단 (段) or "degree" (as in "third dan" or "third - degree black belt"). The numbering sequence for dan ranks is opposite that of geup ranks: numbering begins at 1st dan (the lowest black - belt rank) and counts upward for higher ranks . A practitioner's degree is sometimes indicated on the belt itself with stripes, Roman numerals, or other methods . </Li> <P> Some styles incorporate an additional rank between the geup and dan levels, called the "bo - dan" rank--essentially, a candidate rank for black belt promotion . Additionally, the Kukkiwon / WT - style of taekwondo recognizes a "poom" rank for practitioners under the age of 15: these practitioners have passed dan - level tests but will not receive dan - level rank until age 15 . At age 15, their poom rank is considered to transition to equivalent dan rank automatically . In some schools, holders of the poom rank wear a half - red / half - black belt rather than a solid black belt . </P>

What is the meaning of black belt in taekwondo