兵|へいhei[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. noun(common) soldier; rank and file
   革命かくめい政府せいふは、民衆みんしゅうから兵へいをつのって防戦ぼうせんするとともに、共和きょうわ政治せいじを確立かくりつして、捕とらえていたルイ１６世せいを処刑しょけいしました。↗

   The revolutionary government, while raising troops from the masses and fighting a defensive battle, established a republic and executed Louis XVI.
2. nounarmy; troops
   軍ぐんはその町まちから兵へいを引ひいて敵てきに明け渡あけわたした。↗

   The army abandoned the town to the enemy.
3. nounwarfare; strategy

• Synonym兵士へいしNeutralThe most common everyday word for a soldier, as in 「兵士たち」; 「兵」 leans written and mostly appears in compounds like 「歩兵」「兵力」.
• Synonym兵卒へいそつWrittenWritten word for the lowest-ranking soldiers, chiefly a rank label; 「兵」 also covers armies and warfare, senses this lacks.
• Synonym卒そつWrittenWritten word for low-ranking soldiers, rarely used alone; it also has graduation senses like 「卒業」. For soldiers in daily speech say 「兵士」.
• Related兵隊へいたいNeutralRefers to the armed forces or to soldiers, and figuratively to low-ranking employees; leans colloquial.
• Related戦士せんしNeutralA fighter on the battlefield or one who fights for a living, extended to people battling for a cause, as in 「企業戦士」; 「兵」 mostly appears in compounds.
• Related軍兵ぐんぴょうWrittenWritten term for armed troops with a historical flavor; 「兵」 is more common and mostly appears in compounds.
• Related下士官兵かしかんへいFormalFormal military term for non-commissioned officers and privates — everyone below commissioned-officer rank.
• Related軍卒ぐんそつWrittenWritten word for soldiers in an army, now rare and found mainly in historical accounts; in everyday speech say 「兵士」.
• Related軍士ぐんしWrittenWritten word for soldiers serving in an army, rarely used today; say 「兵士」 or 「兵」 in daily language.
• Related士卒しそつWrittenWritten word for officers and soldiers, with a classical flavor; 「兵士」 is the usual modern choice.
• RelatedソルジャーNeutralLoanword for a soldier, mostly in the titles of games and films; in everyday speech say 「兵士」.

Use 「兵」 for a soldier or an army; it mostly appears in compounds like 「歩兵」, and also in phrases like 「兵を挙げる」. In everyday speech 「兵士」 is the default; 「兵隊」 covers troops or soldiers colloquially, and 「戦士」 is for fighters, literal or figurative. 「兵卒」「卒」「軍卒」「軍兵」「軍士」「士卒」 are written or dated terms, 「下士官兵」 is a formal military term, and 「ソルジャー」 shows up mainly in titles.

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

1. 戦争せんそうにおいて、武器ぶきを持もって戦たたかう者もの。