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一等兵 (ittouhei) Japanese meaning: private first class | Kotomora

一いっ等とう兵へい

い

っ

と

う

へ

い

Meanings

1

private first class

A specific rank in the Japanese military hierarchy, above private and below superior private.

彼かれは軍ぐん隊たいで一いっ等とう兵へいに

昇しょう

進しん

し

た

。

He was promoted to private first class in the army.

Kanji

一one, one radical (no.1)
等etc., and so forth, class (first)
兵soldier, private, troops

Related words

二に等とう兵へい
二等兵 is the rank directly below 一等兵, equivalent to private.
上じょう等とう兵へい
上等兵 is the rank directly above 一等兵, equivalent to superior private.

Built from

一いっ等とう+兵へい

Written forms

一いっ等とう兵へい
Standard kanji spelling for this military rank.
１いっ等とう兵へい
Variant using numeral 1; seen in some contexts but less common than the kanji form.

Etymology

Compound of 一等 (first class) and 兵 (soldier), directly denoting the rank of private first class.