sensei

1. A martial arts instructor; especially one for a Japanese martial art.
2. A Japanese (language) teacher (sometimes used as a suffix attached to the name of a teacher, principally in translations from Japanese).
3. A teacher, guide or mentor, in the context of Japan.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈsɛnseɪ/

Etymology

Cognate with Mandarin Chinese: -

In summary

Borrowed from Japanese 先生(せんせい) (sensei, “teacher; elder”), from Middle Chinese 先生 (MC sen sraeng, “master, elder”), from 先 (MC sen, “earlier, first”) + 生 (MC sraeng, “born”). Compare modern Mandarin 先生 (xiānshēng, “Mr.”). Doublet of sinseh, from Hokkien 先生 (sin-seⁿ).

Synonyms

teacher

🧑‍🏫

master

professor

instructor

Miss

Mr

Ms.

Translations

Sensei

sensei

sensei

sensei