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少尉 (しょうい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word Freq. Frequency Top 20,000 Meanings 1
noun
second lieutenant ; ensign
military
Military rank; the most junior commissioned officer rank in many armed forces. The exact equivalent varies by country and branch (e.g., army second lieutenant, navy ensign).
Kanji 尉 military officer, jailer, old man Similar words 中ちゅう 尉い 中尉 is the next higher rank, equivalent to first lieutenant or lieutenant junior grade.
大たい 尉い 大尉 is a higher rank, equivalent to captain or lieutenant.
Etymology From 少 (しょう, 'junior' or 'lesser') + 尉 (い, a military officer rank suffix). The rank system was adopted in the modern period, modeled after Western military structures.
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In the navy, 少尉 is sometimes called an ensign.
