Sa (Japanese: 佐; Korean: 좌; Hanja: 佐; RR: jwa; Vietnamese: tá) is the rank held by field-grade officers in the militaries of Japan, Vietnam, and North Korea.
Japan[]
The only difference between rank names are the use of morphemes, which are riku (Japanese: 陸, lit. 'land'), kai (Japanese: 海, lit. 'sea') or kū (Japanese: 空, lit. 'air').[1]
| Rank group | Senior officers | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1等佐 (Ittō sa) |
2等佐 (Nitō sa) |
3等佐 (Santō sa) | ||
| Literal translation | Aide first class | Aide second class | Aide third class | |
 Japanese Ground Forces[2]
|
|
|
| |
| U.S. equivalent[3] | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | |
 Japanese Navy[2][4]
|
|
|
| |
| U.S. equivalent[3] | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander | |
| Japanese Air Force[2][5]
|
 |
 |
| |
| U.S. equivalent[3] | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | |
| 1等佐 (Ittō sa) |
2等佐 (Nitō sa) |
3等佐 (Santō sa) | ||
| Rank group | Senior officers | |||
North Korea[]
See also: Military ranks of North Korea
| Jwa | |
| Hangul | 좌 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 佐 |
| Revised Romanization | jwa |
| McCune–Reischauer | chwa |
| Rank group | Senior officers | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hangul | 대좌 | 상좌 | 중좌 | 소좌 |
| Hanja | 大佐 | 上佐 | 中佐 | 少佐 |
| Romanization | Daechwa | Sangjwa | Chungjwa | Sojwa |
| Literal translation | Great assistant | Upper assistant | Middle assistant | Small assistant |
 Korean People's Army[6]
|
|
|
|
|
| U.S. equivalent[6] | None | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major |
 Korean People's Navy[6]
|
|
|
|
|
| U.S. equivalent[6] | None | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander |
 North Korea Air Force[6]
|
|
|
|
|
| U.S. equivalent[6] | None | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major |
| 대좌 Daechwa |
상좌 Sangjwa |
중좌 Chungjwa |
소좌 Sojwa | |
| Rank group | Senior officers | |||
Vietnam[]
Main article: Vietnamese military ranks and insignia
| Rank group | Senior officers | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnamese | Đại tá | Thượng tá | Trung tá | Thiếu tá |
| Chữ Hán | 大佐 | 上佐 | 中佐 | 少佐 |
| Literal translation | Grand assistant | Upper assistant | Middle assistant | Lower assistant |
 Vietnam Army[7]
|
|
|
|
|
| Translation[8] | Senior colonel | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major |
| Vietnamese People's Navy[7]
|
|
|
|
|
| Translation[8] | Upper captain | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander |
| Vietnam Air Force[7]
|
|
|
|
|
| Translation[8] | Senior colonel | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major |
| Vietnamese | Đại tá | Thượng tá | Trung tá | Thiếu tá |
| Rank group | Senior officers | |||
South Vietnamese variant[]
Main article: South Vietnamese military ranks and insignia
| Rank group | Senior officers | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnamese | Đại tá | Trung tá | Thiếu tá |
| Chữ Hán | 大佐 | 中佐 | 少佐 |
| Literal translation | Great assistant | Middle assistant | Lower assistant |
 South Vietnam Army(1967-1975)[9] |
|
|
|
| Translation[9] | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major |
| Republic of Vietnam Navy (1967-1975)[9] |
|
|
|
| Translation[9] | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander |
| South Vietnam Marines (1967-1975) |
|
|
|
| Translation | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major |
| South Vietnam Air Force (1967-1975)[9] |
|
|
|
| Translation[9] | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major |
| Vietnamese | Đại tá | Trung tá | Thiếu tá |
| Rank group | Senior officers | ||
See also[]
Ranks used in Chinese character-using countries
- General officer: Jiang_(rank)
- Senior officer: Sa_(rank), Xiao (rank), Lyeong
- Junior officer: Wei_(rank)
- Non-commissioned officers: Shi_(rank)
- Enlisted ranks: Bing_(rank), Shi_(rank)
References[]
- ↑ "自衛隊の階級" (in ja). Japanese Defense Agency. 2004. p. 266. http://www.clearing.mod.go.jp/hakusho_data/2004/2004/pdf/16510000.pdf. Retrieved 2018-04-09.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "自衛官の階級" (in ja). https://www.mod.go.jp/j/profile/mod_sdf/class/index.html.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Dolan, Roland E. (1992). "National Security". In Dolan, Roland E.; Worden, Robert L.. Japan: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 448-449. ISBN 978-0-8444-0731-9. LCCN 91029874. https://www.loc.gov/resource/frdcstdy.japancountrystud00dola/?sp=504. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- ↑ "Rank of Insignias". Yokota Air Base. https://www.yokota.af.mil/shared/media/document/afd-120807-002.pdf.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Minnich, James M. (2008). "National Security". In Worden, Robert L.. North Korea: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 266, 268. LCCN 2008028547. https://www.loc.gov/resource/frdcstdy.northkoreacountr00word/?sp=312. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Quy định quân hiệu, cấp hiệu, phù hiệu và lễ phục của Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam". Ministry of Defence (Vietnam). 26 August 2009. http://www.mod.gov.vn/wps/portal/!ut/p/b1/vZTbcqJAEIafJQ9gMcOZSxiOg6AcBW4sEVSECEEU5OmXbLJbm9RuvMk6fdVVf9fX_c_0EAkREclpcy32m66oT5vqNU_YtSraLi9BEQDgMcCgRDOYC1MicpMgngRIE3WamwPAz7VJIOqBKzgUBUTqY_2C0_mpHiGGCikIJECsiOgY0wM6W70i-ruynFfb1fYQX7ZNdtn5qHA8c6zP5WWtN7JZeulq7Id0jm6zQejicQQsiZnxbA4Q57NTs-r7sKUaVLQlv5USsiPHDjJShYe9dkQvriL39cy8OujA12x08P2QCfHIXDr1KPJw3aZRs1ueQ_tk1k_vs4F_HBHcm-2t_gvBHW9XRPJRoomhCgzsARFxDIlo7l3wlf0_BV_MEE8C7o8mfZ6bujBCgZZpCESW8IkI0GvveGuMsRzdI-iBPzrQBh0GXGhZnB7YQYXtbAE9ObRgG_RWig3Lx5Y3BqQn6MssdANJlOTL3r_eA3KPBjL_G6gt9Ndb8zHjLRwS0NSDJ3TobwdiItlXdTp9EGESU5JcG72ieOtDsFh6TK4Vy7piTSpNvZtbVTG5P_HXbTEfbE3I8eGUsfDs3MJcRU1WvTi52SWXoj-uFptwE0eD1SaoWy27ss1UyzsBf5fBgyr07TEdcUpK82dnN-SoyGZNv0CIXxou1HKc-HzKIoVLcXNBNuhNeNhYAPdT3oc2ZexMrbAYdqf6oTq-bBF5fiJsvX7OP9v3aRGdvz2QwVb6wR-xAUswWEHr2r5yswTJ9mXlBgJoW21meWUNvbIxz538yz4v4oToDpClHwx0uP8N_LwC4NGWst8ObJ6DqzlnXX2MfkeuXZ_fYv_0AytYOeM!/dl4/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Pike, Douglas (1989). "National Security". In Cima, Ronald J.. Vietnam: a country study. Area Handbook (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 256. LCCN 88600482. https://www.loc.gov/resource/frdcstdy.vietnamcountryst00cima_0/?sp=310&st=image. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Armed Forces Information and Education (1968). Uniforms of Seven Allies (DOD GEN-30). Department of Defense. pp. 26–28. https://archive.org/details/UniformsOfSevenAllies01/Uniforms%20of%20Seven%20Allies%2026.jpg. Retrieved 2 July 2022.