Republic of China Armed Forces rank insignia
The Republic of China Armed Forces rank insignia have five schemes among different military branches, including Army[1], Navy[2], and Air Force.[3] The Marine Corps[4], although being a part of the Navy, maintains a different insignia to other naval fleet personnel. The Military Police has insignia very similar to the Army, just with a slightly different green color. Under the current regulations, military ranks contain the following:
- Officers (軍官) can be classified into three(3) levels (generals, colonels, captains), and to ten(10) ranks,
- Non-commissioned officers (士官) can be classified into six(6) ranks, and
- Enlisted soldiers (士兵) can be classified into three(3) ranks.
The official military rank names in Chinese are identical across all different military branches, but their English translations may be different.
History
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Generalissimo
The rank system of the Republic of China Armed Forces was originally based on that of the Wehrmacht of Germany (Weimar Republic and early era of Nazi Germany) during the era of Sino-German cooperation in the 1930s. Due to the German influence, the rank of one-star general or admiral does not use the French-style title of Brigadier General, but the German-style title of Major General (Army, Air force and Marines) or Rear Admiral (Navy).
After the government of the Republic of China relocated to Taiwan in December 1949, the military rank system had a large reform in 1956. The rank structure is getting closer to the one used by the United States Armed Forces.
Before 2000, Generalissimo (Chinese: 特級上將; pinyin: Tèjí Shàngjiàng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Te̍k-kip Siōng-chiòng) was the highest military rank of the Armed Forces. It was bestowed only once, to Chiang Kai-shek in 1935. This rank was abolished since 2000.
The rank of Full general (Chinese: 一級上將; pinyin: Yījí Shàngjiàng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: It-kip Siōng-chiòng) was designed for the Chief of the General Staff and some senior military strategy advisors in the Office of the President. Since 2013, the new regulations have all these positions shall be with lower rank generals. The rank of Full general will be granted only in wartime.
Officers
Enlisted
NATO comparative listing
- Officers
| Equivalent NATO code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | OF(D) and student officer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full general | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 一級上將 | 二級上將 | 中將 | 少將 | 上校 | 中校 | 少校 | 上尉 | 中尉 | 少尉 | 軍校生 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full Admiral 一級上將 |
Admiral 二級上將 |
Vice admiral 中將 |
Rear admiral 少將 |
Captain 上校 |
Commander 中校 |
Lieutenant commander 少校 |
Lieutenant 上尉 |
Lieutenant (junior grade) 中尉 |
Ensign 少尉 |
Officer cadet 軍校生 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full General 一級上將 Yījí Shàngjiàng |
General 二級上將 Èrjí Shàngjiàng |
Lieutenant General 中將 Zhōngjiàng |
Major General 少將 Shàojiàng |
Colonel 上校 Shàngxiào |
Lieutenant Colonel 中校 Zhōngxiào |
Major 少校 Shàoxiào |
Captain 上尉 Shàngwèi |
First Lieutenant 中尉 Zhōngwèi |
Second Lieutenant 少尉 Shàowèi |
Officer cadet 軍校生 Jūnxiào shēng | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- Enlisted
| Equivalent NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Master sergeant first class 一等士官長 |
Master sergeant second class 二等士官長 |
Master sergeant third class 三等士官長 |
Staff sergeant 上士 |
Sergeant 中士 |
Corporal 下士 |
Specialist 上等兵 |
Private first class 一等兵 |
Private 二等兵 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Command master chief petty officer 一等士官長 |
Master chief petty officer 二等士官 |
Senior chief petty officer 三等士官長 |
Chief Petty Officer 上士 |
Petty Officer 1st Class 中士 |
Petty Officer 2nd Class 下士 |
Seaman 上等兵 |
Seaman apprentice 一等兵 |
Seaman recruit 二等兵 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Master Sergeant First Class 一等士官長 Yīděng shìguānzhǎng |
Master Sergeant Second Class 二等士官長 Èrděng shìguānzhǎng |
Technical Sergeant 三等士官長 Sānděng shìguānzhǎng |
Staff Sergeant 上士 Shàngshì |
Sergeant 中士 Zhōngshì |
Corporal 下士 Xiàshì |
Specialist 上等兵 Shàngděngbīng |
Airman 一等兵 Yīděngbīng |
Airman Basic 二等兵 Èrděngbīng | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||