Ranks of the People's Liberation Army Navy
# Ranks of the People's Liberation Army Navy

The ranks in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy are similar to those of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, except that those of the PLA Navy are prefixed by 海军 (Hai Jun) meaning Naval Force or Navy. See Ranks of the People's Liberation Army or the article on an individual rank for details on the evolution of rank and insignia in the PLAN. This article primarily covers the existing ranks and insignia.

From 1956 to 1965, similar insignia were used following the Soviet model, but unlike the Ground and Air Forces, PLAN ratings used shoulder boards for rank insignia. Line corps officers wore gold and blue shoulder boards on the dress uniform, staff corps officers white and blue. The duty uniform boards were a reverse of the dress uniform boards.

## Current ranks

### Officer ranks

The current system of officer ranks and insignia dates from 1988 and is a revision of the ranks and insignia used from 1955 to 1965. The rank of Hai Jun Yi Ji Shang Jiang (First Class Admiral) was never held and was abolished in 1994. With the official introduction of the Type 07 uniforms all officer insignia are on either shoulders or sleeves depending on the type of uniform used.

| Title | 海军上将 Hǎijūn shang jiang | 海军中将 Hǎijūn zhong jiang | 海军少将 Hǎijūn shao jiang | 海军大校 Hǎijūn da xiao | 海军上校 Hǎijūn shang xiao | 海军中校 Hǎijūn zhong xiao | 海军少校 Hǎijūn shao xiao | 海军上尉 Hǎijūn shang wei | 海军中尉 Hǎijūn zhong wei | 海军少尉 Hǎijūn shao wei | 海军学员 Hǎijūn xue yuan |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Equivalent translation | Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Senior captain | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander | Lieutenant | Lieutenant (junior grade) | Ensign | Officer cadet |
| Shoulder insignia | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Collar insignia | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sleeve insignia | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Enlisted and non-commissioned rates

The current system of enlisted ratings and their corresponding insignia dates from 2009.

Unlike NATO countries, new recruits of the People's Liberation Army have no military ranks before the boot camp is completed, and they will be awarded the rank of Private/Seaman Apprentice/Airman (All collectively called "Private" or "Lie Bing" in the Chinese Language) after they have graduated from the boot camp. According to Article 16 of Chapter 3 of the "Regulations on the Service of Active Soldiers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army" (Chinese: 中国人民解放军现役士兵服役条例), "The lowest enlisted rank is Private".

| Title | 海军一级军士长 Hǎijūn yi ji jun shi zhang | 海军二级军士长 Hǎijūn er ji jun shi zhang | 海军三级军士长 Hǎijūn san ji jun shi zhang | 海军四级军士长 Hǎijūn si ji jun shi zhang | 海军上士 Hǎijūn shang shi | 海军中士 Hǎijūn zhong shi | 海军下士 Hǎijūn xia shi | 海军上等兵 Hǎijūn shang deng bing | 海军列兵 Hǎijūn lie bing |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Equivalent translation | Command master chief petty officer | Master chief petty officer | Senior chief petty officer | Chief petty officer | Petty officer first class | Petty officer second class | Petty officer third class | Seaman | Seaman apprentice |
| Shoulder insignia | | | | | | | | | |
| Collar insignia | | | | | | | | | |

## Historical ranks

### Type 55 (Line corps)

**Officers**

| Rank group | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | General/flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| People's Liberation Army Navy vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| People's Liberation Army Navy vte | 海军大将 Hǎijūn dàjiàng | 海军大将 Hǎijūn dàjiàng | 海军上将 Hǎijūn shàngjiàng | 海军上将 Hǎijūn shàngjiàng | 海军中将 Hǎijūn zhōngjiàng | 海军中将 Hǎijūn zhōngjiàng | 海军少将 Hǎijūn shàojiàng | 海军少将 Hǎijūn shàojiàng | | | 海军大校 Hǎijūn dàxiào | 海军上校 Hǎijūn shàngxiào | 海军中校 Hǎijūn zhōngxiào | 海军中校 Hǎijūn zhōngxiào | 海军少校 Hǎijūn shàoxiào | 海军少校 Hǎijūn shàoxiào | 海军大尉 Hǎijūn dàwèi | 海军上尉 Hǎijūn shàngwèi | 海军中尉 Hǎijūn zhōngwèi | 海军中尉 Hǎijūn zhōngwèi | 海军中尉 Hǎijūn zhōngwèi | 海军少尉 Hǎijūn shàowèi | 海军少尉 Hǎijūn shàowèi | 海军少尉 Hǎijūn shàowèi | 海军学员 Hǎijūn xuéyuán | 海军学员 Hǎijūn xuéyuán | 海军学员 Hǎijūn xuéyuán | 海军学员 Hǎijūn xuéyuán | 海军学员 Hǎijūn xuéyuán | 海军学员 Hǎijūn xuéyuán | 海军学员 Hǎijūn xuéyuán | 海军学员 Hǎijūn xuéyuán | 海军学员 Hǎijūn xuéyuán | 海军学员 Hǎijūn xuéyuán | 海军学员 Hǎijūn xuéyuán | 海军学员 Hǎijūn xuéyuán |

**Enlisted and non-commissioned rates**

| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| People's Liberation Army Navy vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| People's Liberation Army Navy vte | 海军上士 Hǎijūn shàngshì | 海军上士 Hǎijūn shàngshì | 海军中士 Hǎijūn zhōngshì | 海军中士 Hǎijūn zhōngshì | 海军中士 Hǎijūn zhōngshì | 海军中士 Hǎijūn zhōngshì | 海军中士 Hǎijūn zhōngshì | 海军中士 Hǎijūn zhōngshì | 海军下士 Hǎijūn xiàshì | 海军下士 Hǎijūn xiàshì | 海军下士 Hǎijūn xiàshì | 海军下士 Hǎijūn xiàshì | 海军上等兵 Hǎijūn shàngděngbīng | 海军上等兵 Hǎijūn shàngděngbīng | 海军上等兵 Hǎijūn shàngděngbīng | 海军上等兵 Hǎijūn shàngděngbīng | 海军上等兵 Hǎijūn shàngděngbīng | 海军上等兵 Hǎijūn shàngděngbīng | 海军列兵 Hǎijūn lièbīng | 海军列兵 Hǎijūn lièbīng |
| People's Liberation Army Navy vte | Petty officer 1st class | Petty officer 1st class | Petty officer 2nd class | Petty officer 2nd class | Petty officer 2nd class | Petty officer 2nd class | Petty officer 2nd class | Petty officer 2nd class | Petty officer 3rd class | Petty officer 3rd class | Petty officer 3rd class | Petty officer 3rd class | Seaman | Seaman | Seaman | Seaman | Seaman | Seaman | Seaman apprentice | Seaman apprentice |
