Shi (rank)

Sa
Hangul	사
Hanja	士し
Revised Romanization	Sa
McCune–Reischauer	Sa

Shi (Chinese: 士し; Korean: 사; Hanja: 士し) is the rank usually held by Non-commissioned officers in some East Asian militaries. The ranks are used in both the People's Republic of China and Taiwan, and both North and South Korea. The rank name is based on the on one of the four ancient occupations.

China

The same rank names are used for all services, prefixed by haijun (simplified Chinese: 海うみ军; traditional Chinese: 海軍かいぐん; lit. 'naval force') or kongjun (simplified Chinese: 空そら军; traditional Chinese: 空軍くうぐん; lit. 'air force').

Rank group	Non-commissioned officers
Chinese	一いち级军士し长	二に级军士し长	三さん级军士し长	四よん级军士し长	上士じょうし	中ちゅう士し	下士かし
Pinyin	Yījí jūnshìzhǎng	Èrjí jūnshìzhǎng	Sānjí jūnshìzhǎng	Sìjí jūnshìzhǎng	Shàngshì	Zhōngshì	Xiàshì
Literal translation	First class senior corps warrior	Second class senior corps warrior	Third class senior corps warrior	Fourth class senior corps warrior	Upper warrior	Middle warrior	Lower warrior
PLA Ground Force^[1]
PLA Ground Force^[1]
PLA Navy^[1]
PLA Navy^[1]
PLA Air Force^[1]
PLA Air Force^[1]
Native name	一いち级军士し长 Yījí jūnshìzhǎng	二に级军士し长 Èrjí jūnshìzhǎng	三さん级军士し长 Sānjí jūnshìzhǎng	四よん级军士し长 Sìjí jūnshìzhǎng	上士じょうし Shàngshì	中ちゅう士し Zhōngshì	下士かし Xiàshì
Rank group	Non-commissioned officers

Taiwan

Rank group	Non-commissioned officers
Chinese	一等いっとう士官しかん長ちょう	二に等とう士官しかん長ちょう	三さん等とう士官しかん長ちょう	上士じょうし	中ちゅう士し	下士かし
Pinyin	Yīděng shìguānzhǎng	Èrděng shìguānzhǎng	Sānděng shìguānzhǎng	Shàngshì	Zhōngshì	Xiàshì
Literal translation	First class warrior officer	Second class warrior officer	Third class warrior officer	Upper warrior	Middle warrior	Lower warrior
Republic of China Army^[2]
Republic of China Army^[2]
Republic of China Navy^[2]
Republic of China Navy^[2]
Republic of China Air Force^[2]
Republic of China Air Force^[2]
Republic of China Marine Corps^[2]
Republic of China Marine Corps^[2]
	一等いっとう士官しかん長ちょう Yīděng shìguānzhǎng	二に等とう士官しかん長ちょう Èrděng shìguānzhǎng	三さん等とう士官しかん長ちょう Sānděng shìguānzhǎng	上士じょうし Shàngshì	中ちゅう士し Zhōngshì	下士かし Xiàshì
Rank group	Non-commissioned officers

Japan

Rank group	Enlisted
Japanese	士長しちょう	1等とう士し	2等とう士し
Romanization	Shichō	Ittō shi	Nitō shi
Literal translation	Warrior senior	First class warrior	Second class warrior
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force^[3]
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force^[3]
Japan Air Self-Defense Force^[3]
Rank group	Enlisted

North Korea

Rank group	Non-commissioned officers				Enlisted
Hangul	특무상사	상사	중사	하사	상급병사	중급병사	하급병사	전사
Hanja	特務とくむ上士じょうし	上士じょうし	中ちゅう士し	下士かし	上級じょうきゅう兵士へいし	中級ちゅうきゅう兵士へいし	下級かきゅう兵士へいし	戰士せんし
Romanization	T'ŭkmu-sangsa	Sangsa	Chungsa	Hasa	Sanggŭp-pyŏngsa	Chungŭp-pyŏngsa	Hagŭp-pyŏngsa	Chŏnsa
Literal translation	Special duty upper warrior	Upper warrior	Middle warrior	Lower warrior	Upper class weapon warrior	Middle class weapon warrior	Lower class weapon warrior	Fight warrior
KPA Ground Force^[4]
U.S. equivalent^[4]	Sergeant major	Master sergeant	Sergeant first class	Staff sergeant	Sergeant	Corporal	Private first class	Private
KPA Navy^[4]
U.S. equivalent^[4]	Master chief petty officer	Senior chief petty officer	Chief petty officer	Petty officer first class	Petty officer second class	Petty officer third class	Seaman	Seaman apprentice
KPA Air Force^[4]
U.S. equivalent^[4]	Chief master sergeant	Senior master sergeant	Master sergeant	Technical sergeant	Staff sergeant	Sergeant	Airman first class	Airman
	특무상사 T'ŭkmu-sangsa	상사 Sangsa	중사 Chungsa	하사 Hasa	상급병사 Sanggŭp-pyŏngsa	중급병사 Chungŭp-pyŏngsa	하급병사 Hagŭp-pyŏngsa	전사 Chŏnsa
Rank group	Non-commissioned officers				Enlisted

South Korea

Rank group	Non-commissioned officer
Hangul	원사	상사	중사	하사
Hanja	元もと士し	上士じょうし	中ちゅう士し	下士かし
Romanization	Wonsa	Sangsa	Jungsa	Hasa
Literal translation	Chief soldier	Upper soldier	Middle soldier	Lower soldier
Armed Forces^[5]
U.S. equivalent (Army)^[6]	Sergeant major	Master sergeant	Sergeant first class	Staff sergeant

U.S. equivalent (Navy)^[6]	Master chief petty officer	Senior chief petty officer	Chief petty officer	Petty officer first class

U.S. equivalent (Air Force)^[6]	Chief master sergeant	Senior master sergeant	Master sergeant	Technical sergeant

U.S. equivalent (Marine Corps)	Sergeant major	Master sergeant	Gunnery sergeant	Staff sergeant
	원사 元もと士し Wonsa	상사 上士じょうし Sangsa	중사 中ちゅう士し Jungsa	하사 下士かし Hasa
Rank group	Non-commissioned officers

Vietnamese variant

Rank group	Non-commissioned officers
Vietnamese	Thượng sĩ	Trung sĩ	Hạ sĩ
Chữ Hán	上士じょうし	中ちゅう士し	下士かし
Literal translation	Upper warrior	Middle warrior	Lower warrior
Vietnam People's Ground Force^[7]
Vietnam People's Navy^[7]
Vietnam People's Air Force^[7]
Vietnamese	Thượng sĩ	Trung sĩ	Hạ sĩ
Rank group	Non-commissioned officers

South Vietnamese variant

Rank group	Senior NCOs				Junior NCOs
Native name	Thượng sĩ nhất	Thượng sĩ	Trung sĩ nhất	Trung sĩ	Hạ sĩ nhất	Hạ sĩ
Chữ Hán	上士じょうし一いち	上士じょうし	中ちゅう士し一いち	中ちゅう士し	下士かし一いち	下士かし
Literal translation	First upper warrior	Upper warrior	First middle warrior	Middle warrior	First lower warrior	Lower warrior
Army of the Republic of Vietnam (1967-1975)^[8]
Translation^[8]	Master sergeant, first class	Master sergeant	Sergeant first class	Sergeant	Corporal major	Corporal
Republic of Vietnam Navy (1967-1975)^[8]
Translation^[8]	Officer	Chief petty officer	Petty officer first class	Petty officer second class	Leading seaman	Able seaman
Republic of Vietnam Marine Division (1967-1975)
Translation	Master sergeant, first class	Master sergeant	Sergeant first class	Sergeant	Corporal major	Corporal
Republic of Vietnam Air Force (1967-1975)^[8]
Translation^[8]	Master sergeant, first class	Master sergeant	Sergeant first class	Sergeant	Corporal major	Corporal
Native name	Thượng sĩ nhất	Thượng sĩ	Trung sĩ nhất	Trung sĩ	Hạ sĩ nhất	Hạ sĩ
Rank group	Senior NCOs				Junior NCOs

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Ping, Xu (7 August 2017). "我わが军建军九十じゅう年ねん军衔制度せいど沿革えんかく" [The evolution of our military rank system over the ninety years of its establishment]. mod.gov.cn (in Chinese). Ministry of National Defense. Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Lùhǎikōng jūnfú zhì tiáolì fù tú" 陸海空りくかいくう軍服ぐんぷく制せい條例じょうれい附圖ふず [Drawings of the Uniform Regulations of the Army, Navy and Air Force] (PDF). Gazette of the Presidential Palace (6769): 65–67. 7 November 1996. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c "自衛じえい官かんの階級かいきゅう" [Self-Defense Forces rank]. mod.go.jp (in Japanese). Japanese Ministry of Defense. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Minnich, James M. (2008). "National Security". In Worden, Robert L. (ed.). North Korea: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 266, 268. LCCN 2008028547. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
^ "gyegeubjang-ui jesig(je7joje2hang gwanlyeon)" 계급장의 제식(제7조제2항 관련) [Rank insignia (related to Article 7 (2))]. law.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 30 December 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c Katz, Rodney P. (1992). "National Security". In Savada, Andrea Matles; Shaw, William (eds.). South Korea: a country study. Area Handbook (4th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 292. LCCN 91039109. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Quy định quân hiệu, cấp hiệu, phù hiệu và lễ phục của Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam". mod.gov.vn (in Vietnamese). Ministry of Defence (Vietnam). 26 August 2009. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Armed Forces Information and Education (1968). Uniforms of Seven Allies (DOD GEN-30). Department of Defense. pp. 26–28. Retrieved 2 July 2022.

[PPC-1] Ping, Xu (7 August 2017). "我わが军建军九十じゅう年ねん军衔制度せいど沿革えんかく" [The evolution of our military rank system over the ninety years of its establishment]. mod.gov.cn (in Chinese). Ministry of National Defense. Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2021.

[Taiwan-2] "Lùhǎikōng jūnfú zhì tiáolì fù tú" 陸海空りくかいくう軍服ぐんぷく制せい條例じょうれい附圖ふず [Drawings of the Uniform Regulations of the Army, Navy and Air Force] (PDF). Gazette of the Presidential Palace (6769): 65–67. 7 November 1996. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2022.

[Japan-3] "自衛じえい官かんの階級かいきゅう" [Self-Defense Forces rank]. mod.go.jp (in Japanese). Japanese Ministry of Defense. Retrieved 7 June 2021.

[North_Korea-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Minnich, James M. (2008). "National Security". In Worden, Robert L. (ed.). North Korea: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 266, 268. LCCN 2008028547. Retrieved 20 October 2021.

[law.go.kr-5] "gyegeubjang-ui jesig(je7joje2hang gwanlyeon)" 계급장의 제식(제7조제2항 관련) [Rank insignia (related to Article 7 (2))]. law.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 30 December 2021.

[South_Korea-6] Katz, Rodney P. (1992). "National Security". In Savada, Andrea Matles; Shaw, William (eds.). South Korea: a country study. Area Handbook (4th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 292. LCCN 91039109. Retrieved 2 January 2022.

[Vietnam-7] "Quy định quân hiệu, cấp hiệu, phù hiệu và lễ phục của Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam". mod.gov.vn (in Vietnamese). Ministry of Defence (Vietnam). 26 August 2009. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.

[SVietnamA2-8] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Armed Forces Information and Education (1968). Uniforms of Seven Allies (DOD GEN-30). Department of Defense. pp. 26–28. Retrieved 2 July 2022.

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