kyu

Kyū (Japanese: 級; [kʲɯː]) is a Japanese term used in modern martial arts as well as in tea ceremony, flower arranging, Go, shogi, academic tests and other similar activities to designate various grades, levels or degrees of proficiency or experience. In Mandarin Chinese, the same character 級 is pronounced jí, and the term is used for academic tests. In Korea, the term geup (급, 級) is used (also transliterated as gup or kup). In Vietnamese martial arts, it is known as cấp (khớp).