lˈaɪk ðə mˈoːɹ kˈɑːmənli nˈoʊn blˈæk bˈɛlt, ɪts jˈuːs vˈɛɹiz bᵻtwˌiːn ˈɑːɹts, wɪð mˈoʊst jˈuːzɪŋ ɪt fɚðə stˈaɪl fˈaʊndɚ, ɡɹˈændmæstɚɹ ɔːɹ ˈʌðɚ hˈaɪ ɹˈæŋk, wˌaɪl ˈʌðɚz jˈuːs ɪɾ æz ðɪ ɪmˈiːdɪətli pɹˈiː blˈæk bˈɛlt ɹˈæŋk ɔːɹ ˈiːvən tə dᵻnˈoʊt ɐ bɪɡˈɪnɚ hˌuː hˈoʊldz nˈoʊ ɹˈæŋk.
Like the more commonly known black belt, its use varies between arts, with most using it for the style founder, grandmaster or other high rank, while others use it as the immediately pre–black belt rank or even to denote a beginner who holds no rank.