兵 means “soldier, troops”

へい · hei

Also: private, army

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading): つわもの
On'yomi (Chinese reading): ヘイ, ヒョウ

JLPT N2 · Taught in grade 4 · 7 strokes

The story

Two hands (the 八 at the bottom, once 廾) raising an axe (斤): a soldier with a weapon. 兵士 is a soldier, 兵器 a weapon of war, and 兵庫, the prefecture of Kobe and Himeji Castle, is written weapons and storehouse.

Used in 兵士 (heishi, soldier), 兵器 (heiki, weapon), and 兵庫県 (hyougoken, Hyogo Prefecture)

兵 means “soldier, troops”

The story

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