militiaman; national militia member
Historical term for a member of a citizen militia, as opposed to a regular soldier. Compare with 民兵 (militia, irregular forces).
See also: 民兵
The militiamen usually worked in the fields and fought only in times of need.
Compound of 国民 (citizen, national) and 兵 (soldier). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term appears in contexts describing citizen-soldiers or national guards.