兵士|へいしheishi[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nounsoldier
   兵士へいしたちは足踏あしぶみをしていた。↗

   The soldiers were marking time.

• Synonym兵へいWrittenA written-style word that can stand alone for soldiers or troops, as in 「兵を率いる」, and also forms compounds like 「兵力」 and 「歩兵」.
• Synonym兵隊へいたいNeutralThe everyday, colloquial word for soldiers or the military, and by extension an underling who just follows orders; 「兵士」 sounds more written.
• Synonym戦士せんしNeutralA combatant or warrior, also used figuratively for someone who fights for a cause, as in 「企業戦士」; 「兵士」 means a military soldier specifically.
• Synonym兵卒へいそつWrittenA written-style term for the lowest-ranking soldiers, the rank and file; 「兵士」 is the general word for soldiers.
• Synonym卒そつWrittenA written, archaic word for a low-ranking soldier; today it mostly survives as an element in words like 「卒業」.
• Synonym士卒しそつWrittenA written term for officers and enlisted men together, found mainly in older texts; in everyday speech 「兵士」 is the normal word.
• SynonymソルジャーNeutralA loanword used mostly in games and in the titles of works; for an actual soldier in everyday speech, 「兵士」 is the usual choice.
• Related雑兵ぞうひょうNeutralRefers to nameless, low-ranking common soldiers, and figuratively to small fry or underlings; 「兵士」 itself is neutral.
• Antonym将校しょうこうWrittenA written term: on the officer/enlisted divide, the opposite of 「兵士」 — a commissioned officer.

Default: 「兵士」 for a soldier as an individual. In casual speech 「兵隊」 is common, and it can also mean an underling who follows orders. For the lowest-ranking soldiers use 「兵卒」, for nameless small fry 「雑兵」, and for fighters or figurative strivers 「戦士」. 「兵」, 「卒」 and 「士卒」 are written or archaic, 「ソルジャー」 is mostly for games and titles, and the antonym 「将校」 is a commissioned officer.

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

1. 軍隊ぐんたいの軍人ぐんじん、戦闘せんとう組織そしきに属ぞくする構成員こうせいいんで指揮官しきかんの命令めいれいを受うけて任務にんむを行おこなう者もの。