Explore 兵 in words for soldiers and military equipment. Learn each reading together with its word and context.
The idea
兵 has 7 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. Its reading here is へい: 兵士（へいし）, 兵隊（へいたい） and 兵器（へいき）.
| Japanese word | Reading |
|---|---|
| 兵士 | へいし |
| 兵隊 | へいたい |
| 兵器 | へいき |
Examples
- 兵士は村に帰りました。The soldier returned to the village.
- 兵隊が川を渡りました。The soldiers crossed the river.
- 兵士についての本を読みました。I read a book about soldiers.
- 博物館には古い兵器が展示されています。The museum displays old weapons.
- この物語には兵士が登場します。A soldier appears in this story.
- 子供たちは兵隊の絵を見ました。The children saw a picture of soldiers.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No Japanese device voice is available. You can still read the text and use the linked listening resources.
Watch out
兵士 and 兵隊 refer to soldiers; 兵器 means weapons or military equipment, not a person. Do not confuse 兵 with the similar-looking 平.
Try it yourself
Write the reading of 兵士 in hiragana.
Show answer or example answer
へいし
兵士 is へいし: it means a soldier. Remember the reading with the whole word.
Write the reading of 兵器 in hiragana.
Show answer or example answer
へいき
兵器 is へいき: it means weapons or military equipment. 器 refers to equipment here.
Choose the missing kanji: ＿隊（へいたい）［兵／平］.
Show answer or example answer
兵
兵 completes 兵隊（へいたい）, a word for soldiers. 平 has a different shape and meaning.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
Write the reading of 兵士 in hiragana.
Write the reading of 兵器 in hiragana.
Choose the missing kanji: ＿隊（へいたい）［兵／平］.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
Sign up for free to save your practice results in your account.
Sign up to saveI already have an accountUse it today
Write 兵 using the diagram, cover the table, then read 兵士 and 兵器 and make a sentence with one.