• 武士ぶし — warrior, samurai
• 兵士へいし — soldier
• 学士がくし — bachelor (academic degree)
• 博士はかせ / 博士はくし — Ph.D., doctor
• 紳士しんし — gentleman
• 騎士きし — knight

士 is a 象形文字 (pictographic character). It originally depicted a person standing upright with a tool or sword at their side — symbolizing adulthood, formality, or social standing. It later became associated with samurai and educated men in structured roles.

彼は 立派りっぱな 武士ぶしでした。
He was a noble samurai.

博士はかせの 学位がくいを 取得しゅとくしました。
He obtained a doctoral degree.

The on-yomi シ is the standard reading and appears in almost all compound words. The kun-yomi reading is not commonly used independently.