五段(ごだん)

ごだん
noun
fifth dan (rank); godan verb (Japanese grammar)
1. fifth dan; rank of 5th degree
The fifth grade in the 段(だん) ranking system used in martial arts, board games like 碁(ご) (Go) and 将棋(しょうぎ) (shogi), and traditional arts.
柔道(じゅうどう)五段(ごだん)の先生(せんせい)に習(なら)った。
I trained under a fifth-dan judo instructor.
父(ちち)は書道(しょどう)で五段(ごだん)を取得(しゅとく)した。
My father obtained the fifth dan in calligraphy.
剣道(けんどう)の五段(ごだん)昇段(しょうだん)審査(しんさ)は、技術(ぎじゅつ)だけでなく人格(じんかく)も問(と)われる。
The fifth-dan promotion exam in kendo evaluates not only technique but also character.
2. godan verb; consonant-stem verb (grammar)
In Japanese grammar, a class of verbs whose endings shift across all five rows of the 五十音(ごじゅうおん) table when conjugated. Examples include 書(か)く, 読(よ)む, and 話(はな)す.
「書(か)く」は五段(ごだん)動詞(どうし)だ。
"Kaku" is a godan verb.
五段(ごだん)動詞(どうし)は活用(かつよう)が多(おお)くて覚(おぼ)えにくい。
Godan verbs are hard to memorize because they have many conjugations.
五段(ごだん)動詞(どうし)と一段(いちだん)動詞(どうし)の違(ちが)いを理解(りかい)することが、日本語(にほんご)文法(ぶんぽう)の基礎(きそ)だ。
Understanding the difference between godan and ichidan verbs is fundamental to Japanese grammar.

Composed of 五(ご) (five) + 段(だん) (step, grade, rank).

MEANING 1 — MARTIAL ARTS/GAMES RANKING:

  • 柔道(じゅうどう)五段(ごだん): fifth dan in judo
  • 剣道(けんどう)五段(ごだん): fifth dan in kendo
  • 将棋(しょうぎ)五段(ごだん): fifth dan in shogi
  • 五段(ごだん)を取(と)る: to attain fifth dan

In most disciplines the dan ranks run from 1 (初段(しょだん)) up to 10 (十段(じゅうだん)), with 五段(ごだん) representing a senior practitioner.

MEANING 2 — GRAMMAR:

  • 五段(ごだん)動詞(どうし): godan verb
  • 五段(ごだん)活用(かつよう): godan conjugation

Named because the verb stem's final consonant takes vowels from all five rows (あいうえお) of the 五十音(ごじゅうおん) table during conjugation. Contrast with 一段(いちだん)動詞(どうし) (ichidan verbs), whose stems stay on a single row.

general
Added 2026.5.28 12:07
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