Sa (Japanese: 佐; Korean: 좌; Hanja: 佐; RR: jwa) is the rank held by field-grade officers in the militaries of Japan, Vietnam and North Korea.

Japan

See also: Ranks and insignia of the Japan Self-Defense Forces

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
Revised RomanizationJwa
McCune–ReischauerJwa
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 Ground Force[6]
U.S. equivalent[6] None Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major
 Korean People's Navy[6]
U.S. equivalent[6] None Captain Commander Lieutenant commander
 Korean People's Army 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 Great assistant Upper assistant Middle assistant Lower assistant
 Vietnam People's Ground Force[7]
Translation[8] Senior colonel Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major
 Vietnam People's Navy[7]
Translation[8] Upper captain Captain Commander Lieutenant commander
 Vietnam People's 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
 Army of the Republic of Vietnam
(1964-1975)[9]
Vietnamese Đại tá Trung tá Thiếu tá
Rank group Senior officers

References

  1. ^ "自衛隊の階級" [Ranks of the JSDF]. 平成16年版 防衛白書 [Defense of Japan 2004] (PDF) (in Japanese). Japanese Defense Agency. 2004. p. 266. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-07-27. Retrieved 2018-04-09.
  2. ^ a b c "自衛官の階級" [Self-Defense Forces rank]. mod.go.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Dolan, Roland E. (1992). "National Security". In Dolan, Roland E.; Worden, Robert L. (eds.). Japan: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 448-449. LCCN 91029874. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  4. ^ "階級章" [Rank chapter]. mod.go.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Rank of Insignias" (PDF). yokota.af.mil. Yokota Air Base. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ a b c Pike, Douglas (1989). "National Security". In Cima, Ronald J. (ed.). Vietnam: a country study. Area Handbook (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 256. LCCN 88600482. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  9. ^ 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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