先生
Meaning in Englishteacher
Animated kanji stroke order
Related sentences
Word context
What it means
What does 先生 (sensei) mean? It means 'teacher' — a respectful term for a person who instructs or guides learners; in everyday Japanese it functions as a title that signals expertise, authority, or mentorship rather than a mere job label.
Main meanings
- Honorific title used for professionals such as 医者 (isha, doctor) and 弁護士 (bengoshi, lawyer) to show respect.
- Title in martial and traditional arts indicating a master or senior instructor distinct from formal employment terms.
- Respectful way to refer to authors, politicians, or public figures recognized for expertise in a field.
- Figurative use for any mentor-like figure or someone regarded as unusually skilled.
- Occasional ironic or sarcastic use when someone acts like an expert but lacks authority.
How to use it
Commonly attached after a surname or used alone to address a teacher or expert in settings such as classrooms, clinics, dojos, lecture halls and formal introductions; acceptable in both polite spoken and written language as an honorific but not appropriate for referring to oneself; can function as a suffix in direct address or as a standalone title when speaking to the person.
Variants and close terms
- 教師 (kyoushi) — teacher (formal job title, emphasis on occupation)
- 師匠 (shishou) — master/mentor (traditional arts, apprenticeship context)
- 生徒 (seito) — student (antonym in educational contexts)
- 先生 vs さん (sensei vs san) — different levels of respect/application depending on role
Composition
- 先 (sen) — before, ahead; implies priority or precedence.
- 生 (sei) — birth, life; denotes being born or existing.
Origin
The term was borrowed from Classical Chinese usage and entered Japanese lexical and honorific practice centuries ago; by medieval and Edo-period Japan it had become standard for addressing scholars, physicians and instructors and then broadened into modern professional and social contexts.
Word class
noun; honorific title/suffix (名詞、敬称、接尾辞)