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 1956-65, 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	海军学员 Hai Jun Xue Yuan	海军少尉 Hai Jun Shao Wei	海军中尉 Hai Jun Zhong Wei	海军上尉 Hai Jun Shang Wei	海军少校 Hai Jun Shao Xiao	海军中校 Hai Jun Zhong Xiao	海军上校 Hai Jun Shang Xiao	海军大校 Hai Jun Da Xiao	海军少将 Hai Jun Shao Jiang	海军中将 Hai Jun Zhong Jiang	海军上将 Hai Jun Shang Jiang
Usual Translation	Officer Cadet (OF-D)	Ensign (OF-1)	Lieutenant (junior grade) (OF-1)	Lieutenant (OF-2)	Lieutenant Commander (OF-3)	Commander (OF-4)	Captain (OF-5)	Senior Captain (OF-6)	Rear Admiral (OF-7)	Vice Admiral (OF-8)	Admiral (OF-9)
Shoulder Insignia
Collar Insignia
Sleeve Insignia

Enlisted and non-commissioned rates

The current system of enlisted ranks and insignia dates from 2009.[1]

Title	海军列兵 Hai Jun Lie Bing	海军上等兵 Hai Jun Shang Deng Bing	海军下士 Hai Jun Xia Shi	海军中士 Hai Jun Zhong Shi	海军上士 Hai Jun Shang Shi	海军四级军士长 Hai Jun Si Ji Jun Shi Zhang	海军三级军士长 Hai Jun San Ji Jun Shi Zhang	海军二级军士长 Hai Jun Er Ji Jun Shi Zhang	海军一级军士长 Hai Jun Yi Ji Jun Shi Zhang
Usual Translation	Seaman Apprentice (OR-1)	Seaman (OR-2)	Petty Officer 3rd Class (OR-3)	Petty Officer 2nd Class (OR-4)	Petty Officer 1st Class (OR-5)	Chief Petty Officer (OR-6)	Senior Chief Petty Officer (OR-7)	Master Chief Petty Officer (OR-8)	Command Master Chief Petty Officer (OR-9)
Shoulder Insignia
Collar Insignia

Historical ranks

Type 55 (Line corps)

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer
China	No equivalent
China	No equivalent		Fleet Admiral 海军大将	Admiral 海军上将	Vice Admiral 海军中将		Rear Admiral 海军少将		Senior Captain 海军大校		Captain 海军上校		Commander 海军中校		Lieutenant Commander 海军少校		1st Lieutenant 海军大尉		2nd Lieutenant 海军上尉		Lieutenant Junior Grade 海军中尉		Ensign 海军少尉		Warrant Officer 海军准尉

Equivalent NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
China	No equivalent																										No equivalent
China	No equivalent														Petty officer 1st class 海军上士		Petty officer 2nd class 海军中士						Petty officer 3rd class 海军下士				No equivalent		Seaman 海军上等兵						Seaman Apprentice 海军列兵

References

全军和武警部队年底前将全面施行新的士官制度