兵へい曹そう

noun

warrant soldier

Historical military rank used in the early modern Japanese army, roughly equivalent to a warrant officer or senior non-commissioned officer. Rare in modern usage outside historical contexts.

• 明めい治じ時じ代だいの陸りく軍ぐんでは、兵へい曹そうは下か士し官かんの一ひとつだった。

  In the Meiji-era army, 兵曹 was one of the non-commissioned officer ranks.