What does sensei mean? 先生 (sensei)
Sensei is 先生 (せんせい, sensei, “teacher”). It means "teacher", and literally "born before": someone who has gone ahead of you. In Japanese it is also a respectful title for doctors, lawyers, politicians, authors and artists, not only for people who teach in a classroom.
It's written with two kanji. 先 means "before" and 生 is "born" in this word. The dictionary also lists a "title or form of address for a teacher, master, doctor, lawyer, etc." For more on kanji, see What is Kanji?.
Say it after a surname, for someone you respect for what they know. Don't add it to your own name.
Who can be called sensei?
Anyone whose work or skill earns respect. The sources name these groups:
- Teachers and instructors. School teachers and tutors, and also teachers of piano, calligraphy, flower arranging, yoga and exercise classes.
- Doctors and lawyers. Japanese Wikipedia also lists dentists, vets, pharmacists, notaries and certified accountants.
- Politicians. Members of the Diet and of local assemblies. Tofugu says the custom dates from the Meiji period, and that no certificate is needed.
- Authors and artists. Novelists, manga artists and composers.
- Martial arts instructors. The usual title for the person who leads the class.
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 教師 | きょうし | kyōshi | teacher; instructor | The job of teaching: a teacher is called 先生 |
| 医者 | いしゃ | isha | doctor; physician | Doctors are called 先生 |
| 歯医者 | はいしゃ | haisha | dentist | Dentists are called 先生 |
| 弁護士 | べんごし | bengoshi | lawyer; attorney | Lawyers are called 先生 |
| 政治家 | せいじか | seijika | politician; statesman | Members of the Diet and local assemblies are called 先生 |
| 小説家 | しょうせつか | shōsetsuka | novelist; fiction writer | Novelists are called 先生 |
| 漫画家 | まんがか | mangaka | cartoonist; comic book artist; manga artist | Manga artists are called 先生 |
The dictionary lists 教師 as "teacher; instructor", the job, while 先生 is also a "title or form of address".
How to use sensei: after a name, or on its own
In Japanese the title comes after the name: 山田先生 for a teacher called Yamada. Putting it first, as in "Sensei Yamada", is a common mistake among English speakers. You can also call out 先生! to get a teacher's attention.
To say which kind of teacher, use の: 数学の先生 is "maths teacher" (Tofugu gives the phrase). For surnames and how they're written, see Japanese Last Names.
Don't introduce yourself as 先生 or add it to your own name: it is a title others give you. Tofugu adds that teachers, especially of young children, often say 先生 of themselves in class, but a doctor or author doing so would sound pretentious.
To greet a teacher, see Hello in Japanese.
Is sensei a master? Is there a rank above it?
Sensei can be translated as "master", but it is mainly a title of respect, not a rank. The dictionary's first sense of 先生 is "teacher; instructor; master", so "master" is one honest translation. In Japanese there's no ladder of "sensei, then something higher".
Martial arts and Zen add their own words:
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 師範 | しはん | shihan | instructor (esp. of martial or traditional arts); teacher; master | An instructor of martial or traditional arts. A US karate dojo's page says a shihan is a sensei too, with broader mastery |
| 大先生 | だいせんせい | daisensei | great teacher; great master; great author | English Wikipedia: the top teacher of a school, in the iemoto system. Tofugu: it can also mock a pretentious person |
| 老師 | ろうし | rōshi | old master; old teacher | A venerable Zen teacher. English Wikipedia: in Sanbo Kyodan Zen, a rōshi ranks above a sensei |
These titles depend on the school, so ask what they use.
Senpai vs sensei
A sensei teaches you or holds expertise you respect. A 先輩 (せんぱい, senpai, “senior (at school, work, etc.)”) is someone ahead of you in the same group, such as a school, a club or a company. The opposite is 後輩 (こうはい, kōhai, “junior (at work, school, etc.)”).
Both words share the kanji 先, "before". English Wikipedia says a senpai and kōhai must work in the same organisation. In martial arts, it says senpai is particularly used for the most senior member who is not a sensei.
Is it rude to call someone sensei?
No. It's respectful. The risk is in the wrong use.
- For yourself: pretentious, unless you are a teacher speaking in class.
- For someone who isn't a teacher: the dictionary notes that 先生 can be an "intimate or teasing form of address". Tofugu says it can be sarcastic, as in 大先生 for a show-off.
- For an actual teacher: safe.
Practise Japanese titles
Practise Japanese honorifics
先生, 先輩, さん, 様 and more: which title for whom, in a short quiz.
Questions about sensei
What does sensei mean literally?
Sensei literally means "born before": someone who came before you.
Who can be called sensei?
Teachers, doctors, lawyers, politicians, authors, artists and martial arts instructors can all be called sensei.
Is sensei used for girls?
Yes. Sensei is used for women and men alike. The sources treat it as gender-neutral and give no separate form for women.
Can you call a girl sensei?
Yes, if she is a teacher or an expert you respect.
Is sensei a master?
Sensei can be translated as "master", but it is mainly a title of respect, not a rank. The dictionary lists "master" as a sense, but "teacher" is the usual meaning.
Is it rude to call someone sensei?
No. It's respectful. It can sound sarcastic when used on someone who isn't a teacher, or pretentious when used for yourself.
What rank is higher than sensei?
No rank is higher than sensei, because sensei is a title of respect, not a rank. Some schools use 師範 for a senior instructor, and in Sanbo Kyodan Zen a 老師 ranks above a sensei.
What is a senpai vs sensei?
A senpai is a senior in your group, such as a school, club or company; a sensei is a teacher or expert.
Is guru a racist term?
Wikipedia's Guru page does not call it one. Guru is a Sanskrit word for a mentor, guide, expert or master, and for a spiritual teacher in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh traditions. It is a Sanskrit word, not a Japanese one. Whether using it loosely, as in "marketing guru", bothers some people is not settled here.
Sources
- Readings and meanings: JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0), including the senses of 先生 ("title or form of address for a teacher, master, doctor, lawyer, etc." and "intimate or teasing form of address") and of 師範, 大先生 and 老師.
- Who is called 先生: Japanese Wikipedia, 先生.
- Literal meaning, groups, dai-sensei, rōshi, senpai: English Wikipedia, Sensei; Senpai and kōhai.
- Usage, politicians, sarcasm, teachers saying 先生 of themselves, and not introducing yourself as 先生: Tofugu, The Meaning of Sensei: More Than Just "Teacher"; Bunburyōdō (title order, and not calling yourself sensei), The meaning of 'Sensei'.
- Shihan: Charles Fink Karate Dojo (a US dojo's blog), Sensei or Shihan?.
- Guru: English Wikipedia, Guru.
- Reviewed independently; the points about women, sarcasm, teachers saying 先生 of themselves, 師範, 老師 and the ranks above sensei are waiting for a native speaker's check.