office, official, comrade, fellow
曹 centers on a group of people working together in an official capacity: an office, its officials, or comrades and fellows within that group.
曹 originally depicted two bundles or sacks (東) side by side, later simplified to the modern form with 曰 below. It came to mean a pair or group, and by extension an official bureau or colleagues.
The top looks like two officials standing side by side, and the bottom 曰 suggests a desk or office. Together, 曹 is a group of comrades in an official setting.
For ソウ, imagine all the comrades in the office sighing together: 'Sou...' (ソウ) as they start their workday.
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sergeant
master sergeant; sergeant major (JSDF)
son of a distinguished family; son of a noble
baking soda; bicarbonate of soda; sodium bicarbonate
legal profession; judicial officer; lawyer; attorney
palace room for government officials
warrant soldier
Soto school (of Zen Buddhism)
legal circles
master sergeant (JGSDF)
chief petty officer (IJN); petty officer first class (US Navy)
master sergeant (JASDF)
sergeant first-class
master sergeant (JGSDF)
sergeant (JGSDF)
petty officer third class (USN)
staff sergeant (JASDF)
sergeant
sergeant (JGSDF); sergeant second class
chief petty officer