new recruit; raw recruit; first-year soldier
Military term for a soldier in their first year of service, often still in basic training. Used in historical or modern military contexts.
New recruits undergo rigorous training.
He's still a first-year soldier, so he just follows orders from his superiors.
Compound of 初年 (first year) and 兵 (soldier). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is conventionally used in military contexts.