曹
office, official, comrade, fellow
Readings
On'yomi
- ソウ
- ゾウ
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
曹 centers on a group of people working together in an official capacity: an office, its officials, or comrades and fellows within that group.
Most common words using 曹
20 of 48- 軍曹ぐんそう
sergeant
- 曹長そうちょう
master sergeant; sergeant major (JSDF)
- 御曹司おんぞうし
son of a distinguished family; son of a noble
- 重曹じゅうそう
baking soda; bicarbonate of soda; sodium bicarbonate
- 法曹ほうそう
legal profession; judicial officer; lawyer; attorney
- 曹そう
palace room for government officials
- 兵曹へいそう
warrant soldier
- 曹洞宗そうとうしゅう
Soto school (of Zen Buddhism)
- 法曹界ほうそうかい
legal circles
- 一曹いっそう
master sergeant (JGSDF)
- 一等兵曹いっとうへいそう
chief petty officer (IJN); petty officer first class (US Navy)
- 一等空曹いっとうくうそう
master sergeant (JASDF)
- 一等軍曹いっとうぐんそう
sergeant first-class
- 一等陸曹いっとうりくそう
master sergeant (JGSDF)
- 三曹さんそう
sergeant (JGSDF)
- 三等兵曹さんとうへいそう
petty officer third class (USN)
- 三等空曹さんとうくうそう
staff sergeant (JASDF)
- 三等軍曹さんとうぐんそう
sergeant
- 三等陸曹さんとうりくそう
sergeant (JGSDF); sergeant second class
- 上等兵曹じょうとうへいそう
chief petty officer
Study
Etymology
曹 originally depicted two bundles or sacks (東) side by side, later simplified to the modern form with 曰 below. It came to mean a pair or group, and by extension an official bureau or colleagues.
Meaning mnemonic
The top looks like two officials standing side by side, and the bottom 曰 suggests a desk or office. Together, 曹 is a group of comrades in an official setting.
Reading mnemonic
For ソウ, imagine all the comrades in the office sighing together: 'Sou...' (ソウ) as they start their workday.