水兵|すいへいsuihei[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. noun(naval) sailor

• SynonymセーラーNeutralLoanword for sailor, seen mostly in 「セーラー服」 and the like; used on its own it suggests a naval sailor with a Western flair.
• Related船員せんいんNeutralThe crew working aboard a ship, usually on merchant vessels; 「水兵」 is specifically a navy sailor.
• Related船乗りふなのりNeutralColloquial, general term for anyone who earns a living working on boats and ships; unlike 「水兵」, it does not specifically mean a naval sailor.
• Related水夫すいふWrittenAn old word for sailors who work aboard ships, not limited to the navy; 「水兵」 refers only to naval sailors. More at home in written prose.
• Related船人ふなびとWrittenA boatman, or anyone aboard a boat; archaic and rare, found in literature such as waka. 「水兵」 is strictly a naval sailor.
• RelatedマドロスNeutralLoanword for a sailor with a nostalgic, romantic feel, often heard in songs; 「水兵」 is the plain term for a naval sailor.
• Related海員かいいんWrittenA legal term for a ship's crew other than the captain; a civilian occupation, not a soldier. Written/formal register.
• Related船方ふなかたNeutralOld-fashioned word for a boatman who ferries people and cargo by boat; no connection to the navy.
• Antonym陸兵りくへいWrittenSoldiers who fight on land; the counterpart of the navy's 「水兵」. Written/formal.

Use 「水兵」 only for navy sailors. For people who work on ships generally, 「船員」 or 「船乗り」 is the usual choice. 「セーラー」 appears mostly in 「セーラー服」. 「水夫」 is dated, 「海員」 a legal term for civilian crew, 「船方」 an old word for boatmen, 「船人」 literary, and 「マドロス」 a nostalgic loanword; 「陸兵」 is the army counterpart.

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

1. 海軍かいぐんの兵士へいし。主おもに軍艦ぐんかんでの任務にんむを行おこなう兵士へいし。
2. 日本にっぽん海軍かいぐんの兵種へいしゅの一ひとつ。