How to say "military" in Japanese

• 軍隊ぐんたいJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounCovers 'military' as a country's armed forces viewed as an organized whole. When you mean the military itself — the institution and its troops — rather than individual soldiers, this is the word to use.
  その軍隊ぐんたいは十分じゅうぶんな武器ぶきを持もっていた。↗

  The troops had plenty of arms.
• 兵隊へいたいJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounIn practice this word is really about soldiers — the people who serve — rather than the military as an institution. For 'the military' itself it is seldom the word you want.
  その市しはやがて兵隊へいたいによって占領せんりょうされた。↗

  The city was soon occupied by the soldiers.

Use 軍隊 for the military or armed forces as an organization; 兵隊 really points to soldiers as individuals, so it is seldom the word you want when 'military' means the institution itself.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 軍隊ぐんたいarmed forces
• 兵隊へいたいarmed forces
• ミリタリーmilitary
• 軍事上ぐんじじょうmilitary
• 軍事的ぐんじてきmilitary