Ranks and belts

Taekwondo Belt Colors and Their Meanings

White, yellow, green, blue, red, black. The meanings below are the most common ones, and each style assigns them a little differently.

Reviewed by Daniel Reyes, 4th dan Kukkiwon, 18 years teaching  |  Last checked: October 26, 2026

In most taekwondo schools the colors run white, yellow, green, blue, red and black, and each color stands for a stage of growth, from a seed to a mature tree. World Taekwondo does not set official meanings, so schools choose their own wording. The ITF publishes its own: white for innocence, yellow for earth, green for a growing plant, blue for the sky, red for danger and black for the opposite of white.

The common meanings

  • White: a beginner with a clear mind and no habits yet. Many schools say purity or innocence.
  • Yellow: the earth, where a seed is planted. The first real foundation.
  • Green: a plant that is growing. Skills are developing.
  • Blue: the sky, a plant reaching up. Students widen their technique.
  • Red: danger and warning. The student has power and must learn control.
  • Black: maturity and skill. It is also the start of deeper learning, not the end.

World Taekwondo and Kukkiwon schools

World Taekwondo and Kukkiwon do not define official colors or meanings for gup belts. The Kukkiwon rank system uses ten gup levels and then the Dan or Poom ranks. Schools pick their own colors and stripes, so one school may have an orange belt and another a purple. The WT and Kukkiwon belt order shows the common sequence and how stripes are used.

ITF schools

The ITF belt meanings are published by the federation. White stands for innocence, with no knowledge of taekwon-do. Yellow stands for the earth, where a seed sprouts and the foundation is laid. Green stands for the plant’s growth. Blue stands for the heaven toward which the plant matures. Red stands for danger, a warning to the student and to the opponent. Black stands for the opposite of white and for maturity. See the ITF belt order for the full sequence, including the stripes between colors.

ATA schools

The ATA uses its own belt system with many more steps, including stripes and different color names such as orange, camouflage and brown. Read the ATA belt order for the exact sequence.

Why meanings differ between schools

Belt colors came from the Japanese kyu-dan system and were adopted in Korea in the 1950s and 1960s. Meanings were added later by teachers to give students a way to remember the stages. That is why two schools in the same city can tell students different stories about the same color. The meaning matters less than the standard at each belt, which you can check in the belt requirements guide.

Frequently asked questions

What do the taekwondo belt colors mean?

White means a beginner, yellow means earth, green means growth, blue means the sky, red means danger and black means maturity. Schools vary.

Is there an official meaning for each belt color?

The ITF publishes meanings. World Taekwondo and Kukkiwon do not, so schools set their own.

What is the order of taekwondo belts?

Most WT-style schools go white, yellow, green, blue, red and black, with extra colors or stripes added by some schools.

What color belt is highest?

Black. Within black, Dan ranks run from 1st to 9th. Some schools also use a red and black belt for junior black belts.

Why do some schools have orange or purple belts?

Schools add colors to make promotions more frequent for children. They are not part of the Kukkiwon rank list.

Sources