noncommissioned officer
Military term for an enlisted rank below commissioned officers, such as sergeant or petty officer. Used in formal or historical contexts.
He served for many years as a noncommissioned officer in the army.
non-commissioned officer; petty officer
Standard kanji form for this military rank term.
Compound of 下 (lower) and 士 (warrior/officer), literally 'lower officer'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term has been used in Japanese military contexts to denote noncommissioned ranks.