Shidōin
# Shidōin

Shidōin (指導員:しどういん) is a Japanese title, often used in Japanese martial arts.

## Meaning

The word Shidōin means "instructor" or "teacher" and is typically used as an honorific title to identify an intermediate level instructor within an organization or budo dojo. By comparison, an assistant instructor or teacher would have the title Fuku Shidoin, while a senior instructor would have the title Shihan, meaning "leader", "guide" or "ideal".

## Origin

The word descends from Shido (suru) 指導 (する). It consists of yubi 指 what means finger or sasu 指す which is the verb for showing. Michibiku 導 means guide or lead. Shido also stands for chivalry, the code of honor of the samurai.

## Use

Different budo arts and dojos have their own requirements for how this title is used, but typically it corresponds to 4th or 5th Dan.

