Karate Belts and Taekwondo Belts: The Colour Grading Order

Anyone starting karate or taekwondo will eventually be handed a new belt, and the first question is usually the same: what does the colour mean? This guide covers the grading order for karate belts and taekwondo belts, how belts are actually sized, a brief note on tying one, and where to buy them in Mauritius.

Kyu and dan grades: how karate grading works

In karate, the coloured belts mark kyu grades. A student moves down through the kyu numbers as they progress (a complete beginner starts at a high kyu number), and each coloured belt shows roughly where they are on that path. Once the kyu grades are finished, the student is graded into the dan ranks, which is where the black belt starts.

How many kyu grades there are, and which colour goes with which grade, is decided by each style and each club, not by karate as a whole. There is no single worldwide authority setting the colours, so two clubs teaching the same style can still grade differently.

A common karate belt colours order

Because there is no single standard, we can only describe a common example rather than "the" order. One sequence used by many clubs runs:

• White
• Yellow
• Orange
• Green
• Blue
• Purple
• Brown
• Black

Plenty of clubs and styles vary this: some add extra colours, some skip a step, and some use a tab, stripe or tag on a white belt rather than changing the belt's colour outright. If you are buying a belt for a grading, check the exact colour and grade with your instructor before you order — do not rely on this list alone.

Taekwondo belt colours (WT)

Taekwondo, in the WT style, works on the same principle: coloured kup belts lead up to black belt, which is a dan grade. A sequence used by many clubs is white, yellow, green, blue, red, then black, with some clubs adding half-colour or striped belts in between grades.

One detail worth knowing if you have a junior training: students under 15 who reach black-belt standard often wear a poom belt first rather than a full black belt — half red, half black — until they are old enough for the dan grade. Again, check with your instructor which sequence and which belt your own club uses before you buy.

How belts are sized (it's not a clothing size)

Belts are not sized like a gi or a t-shirt. There is no small, medium or large — a belt is sold by length, and the right length depends on your waist and how you like it tied, not on the size of clothing you wear. The simplest way to get it right is to measure the belt you currently wear, or ask your instructor what length they would recommend, rather than guessing from a clothing size chart.

Our Nova Martial Arts Belt is one belt used across karate, taekwondo, judo and other belted arts, with rows of stitching running along its length so the knot holds. It is stocked in white, yellow, orange, green, purple, red and black, at Rs 150. Blue and brown are not currently listed — message us on WhatsApp if you need a colour that is not shown and we will check stock.

How to tie a belt

Briefly: find the middle of the belt and hold it against your stomach, wrap both ends around your back and bring them forward again, cross the ends over each other (the exact way depends on your style), tuck one end up through the wrap, and pull both ends into a flat, square knot centred at the front. Your instructor will show you the exact method your club uses in your first few sessions, and it is worth learning it from them rather than from a written description.

Buying karate belts and taekwondo belts in Mauritius

We stock the Nova Martial Arts Belt alongside karate and taekwondo uniforms at our shop in Port Louis. If you also need a uniform, our Nova Karate Gi and our Nova Taekwondo Dobok are both sold with the belt separate, so you can match the belt colour to your actual grade rather than whatever comes bundled in a set. See the full range in our karate and taekwondo collections, and if you are also working out uniform sizing, our guide on choosing a martial arts uniform covers gi sizing in more detail.