兵
soldier, private, troops, army, warfare, strategy, tactics
Readings
On'yomi
- ヘイ
- ヒョウ
Kun'yomi
- つわもの
Nanori
- へ
Meaning
兵 centers on military personnel and organized fighting: a soldier, troops, or an army, and by extension the warfare, strategy, and tactics they carry out.
Most common words using 兵
23 of 381- 兵器へいきN1
arms; weapon; ordnance
- 兵へい
(common) soldier; rank and file
- 兵士へいしN1
soldier
- 核兵器かくへいきN1
nuclear weapon
- 兵隊へいたいN2
armed forces; military; troops
- 徴兵ちょうへいN1
conscription; (military) draft; (compulsory) enlistment
- 兵力へいりょく
military force; force of arms; strength of an army
- 歩兵ほへい
infantry; infantryman; foot soldier
- 兵役へいえきN1
military service; conscription
- 民兵みんぺい
militia; militiaman
- 騎兵きへい
cavalry; cavalryman; trooper
- 派兵はへい
dispatch of troops
- 兵舎へいしゃ
barracks
- 砲兵ほうへい
artillery; gunner
- 伏兵ふくへい
ambush; troops in ambush
- 兵糧ひょうろう
(army) provisions; food
- 兵員へいいん
military strength; military personnel
- 工兵こうへい
combat engineer; military engineer; combat engineering; military engineering
- 将兵しょうへい
officers and men
- 軍兵ぐんぴょう
armed forces; battle troops
- 化学兵器かがくへいき
chemical weapon
- 海兵隊かいへいたい
Marine Corps; Royal Marines
- 撤兵てっぺい
withdrawal of troops
Study
Etymology
兵 originally depicted two hands holding a weapon, later simplified to the modern form with 丘 (axe-like shape) above 八 (two hands). It represents a soldier or military action.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 丘 looks like an axe or weapon, and the bottom 八 resembles two hands gripping it. Picture a soldier holding a weapon ready for battle.
Reading mnemonic
For ヘイ, imagine a soldier shouting 'Hey!' as they charge into battle: Hey -> ヘイ, and the soldier's cry echoes across the troops.