1.
soldier; common soldier; troops; the rank-and-file
A member of the armed forces, especially an ordinary soldier rather than an officer. Also used collectively for troops, and as the lowest grade in a military rank system.
兵を送る。
To send troops.
城を守る兵が少ない。
There are few soldiers guarding the castle.
将軍は一万の兵を率いて進んだ。
The general advanced leading ten thousand soldiers.
A general word for a soldier or troops, common in historical and military contexts. As a single character it often feels formal or literary; everyday speech tends to use the compounds below.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 兵を送る: to send troops
- 兵を率いる: to lead soldiers
- 兵を挙げる: to raise an army
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 兵士: soldier — the ordinary word for an individual serviceman
- 兵隊: soldier; the troops — more colloquial, can mean a soldier or soldiers collectively
- 軍: army; military — the organization as a whole