先生
せんせい
hepburn sensei
teacher, sensei
Part of speech · noun
Pattern visualization
Examples
- 田中先生は日本語の先生です。Mr./Ms. Tanaka is a Japanese teacher.
- 先生、質問があります。Teacher, I have a question.
Collocations
日本語の先生田中先生学校の先生先生に聞くお医者さん (doctor as 先生)
Mnemonic
せんせい — 先生, Sino-Japanese. Unpack the two characters: 先 (before) + 生 (born) = 'one who was born before'. The old East Asian thought that 'the one born earlier teaches' sits frozen in the word's shape. The Korean seonsaeng lines up character for character. The job title 教師 kyoushi (teacher) exists separately; in daily life, sensei is the form of address. What's special is how widely it spreads — teachers, doctors, lawyers, politicians, manga artists, dojo masters. Whoever has walked a path in their field first earns sensei. The Japanese reach is far wider than the Korean. You meet these characters again in Mandarin Roots, as 先 and 生.
Quick check
Which profession does NOT typically receive the 先生 honorific?