兵

• Pinyin: bīng
• Hanzi breakdown: 兵 = 丘 (top component) + 八 (divide) — historically depicted hands grasping a weapon

Meaning

Soldier; troops. Refers to military personnel or armed forces in general.

Can refer to an individual soldier or troops collectively. Appears in many military compounds: 士兵 (soldier), 当兵 (serve in the military), 兵力 (military strength). In Chinese chess, 兵 is the name of the pawn piece. Figuratively used in idioms about strategy.

Examples

1. 他高中毕业以后就去当兵了。 He went to serve in the military after graduating from high school.
2. 这部电影讲的是一个年轻兵的故事。 This film tells the story of a young soldier.
3. 兵马俑是中国最有名的文化遗产之一。 The Terracotta Warriors are one of China's most famous cultural heritages.

Usage Guide

Context: military, history, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他弟弟去年开始当兵了。(His younger brother started military service last year.)
• 这场战争中双方都派了很多兵。(Both sides sent many soldiers in this war.)

Don't Say

• 用'兵'直接称呼军人 (Don't address a soldier directly as 兵 — it sounds blunt; use 军人 or their rank title as a respectful form of address)

Origin & History

Originally a pictograph showing two hands holding a weapon (斤, an axe). The character evolved to mean the person who holds weapons, i.e. a soldier.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal