兵
KANJI DETAIL
soldier
On readingへい7 strokesN2
Radical 八 · eightStroke order
Loading the stroke order for 兵.
Japanese readings
- On reading
- へい
- Kun reading
- つわもの
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure:
兵concerns soldiers or military matters and has the on-readingへい. - Basic usage:
兵士(へいし)means a soldier, while兵器(へいき)means a weapon.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- People and weapons
兵士refers to a person, such as a soldier guarding a gate or longing for home.兵器refers to weapons that soldiers use, so the distinction is between people and equipment within a military context.