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KLC kanji dan


The table below lists the 25 stages (段: dan) of progress in the Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Course (KLC). To order physical badges (stickers) and a custom mounting sheet, click here.

The kanji badges represent the developmental state at each stage. For example, the first kanji 日 means “sun” or “day”, here symbolizing the dawn of the learning process. To check the precise meaning of each character, refer to the KLC entry number in the right column.

Selected readings are listed to facilitate referring to the stages in Japanese by their representative kanji (each reading is unique).  On-yomi (Chinese-derived readings) are shown in katakana, kun-yomi (native Japanese readings) in hiraganaThe stages can also be referred to in Japanese as 1段 (いちだん), 2段 (にだん), etc.

Earn your first dan by completing the first fifty KLC entries. The stage prior to earning the first dan is classified in Japanese as 初級 (しょきゅう) (beginner).

Badge Reading Growth level Stage /
dan (段)
Badge source
1 DAYBREAK 初級: 0 1
50 セイ NEWBORN 1 段: 50 36
100 LITTLE ONE 2 段: 100 94
200 NATURAL 3 段: 200 132
300 いずみ SURFACING 4 段: 300 207
400 カク WAKING 5 段: 400 325
500 RISING 6 段: 500 430
600 セツ PREPARING 7 段: 600 520
700 AFOOT 8 段: 700 679
800 ケン RESEARCHING 9 段: 800 724
900 テン DEVELOPING 10 段: 900 880
1000 わざ SKILLED 11 段: 1000 966
1100 シキ AWARE 12 段: 1100 1089
1200 たしか SECURE 13 段: 1200 1133
1300new さかん FLOURISHING 14 段: 1300 1300
1400 リュウ EMINENT 15 段: 1400 1376
1500 ジュク MATURE 16 段: 1500 1436
1600 アク KANPREHENDER 17 段: 1600 1536
1700 コウ KANJINAUT 18 段: 1700 1640
1800 テツ KANJIOSOPHER 19 段: 1800 1703
1900 たくみ KANJIUOSO 20 段: 1900 1802
2000 リョウ KANSUL 21 段: 2000 1922
2100 カン KANJISSEUR 22 段: 2100 2028
2200 ゲン KANJEDI 23 段: 2200 2135
にじ SPECTRUM 24 段: 2300 2300

Paste your own kanji dan badges to give yourself
positive reinforcement as you learn kanji.

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