noun
scout; reconnoitering soldier
Military term for a soldier or small unit sent ahead to gather information about enemy positions and terrain.
斥候兵が敵の陣地を探りに行った。
The scouts went to reconnoiter the enemy position.
斥候 refers to the act of scouting or a scouting party in general, while 斥候兵 specifically denotes the soldier(s) performing the scouting.
Compound of 斥候 (scout, reconnaissance) and 兵 (soldier). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with military scouting.