先せん生せい

せ

ん

せ

い

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 500

Meanings

noun

teacher; instructor; master

General term for a teacher, instructor, or master in an educational or training context.

彼かれは高こう校こうの数すう学がくの先せん生せいです。
He is a high school math teacher.
ピアノの先せん生せいに新あたらしい曲きょくを習ならった。
I learned a new piece from my piano teacher.

noun, noun, used as a suffix

sensei; title of respect

honorific or respectful (sonkeigo)

Honorific title or form of address for teachers, doctors, lawyers, politicians, artists, and other respected professionals. Used both as a standalone noun and as a suffix attached to the person's name.

田た中なか先せん生せい、質しつ問もんがあります。
Sensei Tanaka, I have a question.
弁べん護ご士しの先せん生せいに相そう談だんした。
I consulted with my lawyer.

noun

(teasing) sir; (joking) master

familiar languagejocular, humorous

Familiar or jocular form of address, often used teasingly among friends or when playfully deferring to someone. Not used in formal situations.

おや、先せん生せい、今日きょうは一いち段だんとご機き嫌げんですね。
Well, well, sir, you're in an especially good mood today.

noun

one's elder

archaic

Archaic original meaning referring to an older person or one's elder. Not used in modern Japanese outside of historical contexts.

古こ典てんでは「先せん生せい」が年ねん長ちょう者しゃを指さすことがある。
In classical texts, 先生 can refer to an elder.

See all 1,961 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

先せん生せいに習ならうto learn (something) from a teacher
私わたしは先せん生せいにピアノを習ならっている。
I am learning piano from a teacher.
先せん生せいに聞きくto ask the teacher (a question)
分わからないところは先せん生せいに聞きいてください。
Please ask the teacher about the parts you don't understand.
先せん生せいに叱しかられるto be scolded by the teacher
宿しゅく題だいを忘わすれて先せん生せいに叱しかられた。
I forgot my homework and got scolded by the teacher.
〈人ひと〉先せん生せいused as a suffix after a name to address or refer to a teacher or professional respectfully
田た中なか先せん生せいは英えい語ごを教おしえています。
Mr. Tanaka (the teacher) teaches English.
〈人ひと〉と先生に呼ばれるとせんせいとよばれるto be called 'sensei' (as a respected professional)
彼かれは医い者しゃになってから先せん生せいと呼よばれるようになった。
Since becoming a doctor, he's started being called 'sensei'.

Expressions

節たかし先せん生せいsuccessive teacher; successive master
先せん生せいに就つくstudy under a teacher
担たん任にんの先せん生せいclass teacher; homeroom teacher; form teacher
保ほ健けん室しつの先せん生せいschool nurse; school health teacher
先せん生せいと言いわれるほどの馬ば鹿かでなしI'm not fooled by flattery; I'm not so stupid as to be swayed by being called 'sensei'

Kanji

先before, ahead, previous
生life, genuine, birth

Related words· 14

教きょう師しN3sense 1
教師 is the formal, professional term for a teacher, while 先生 is the everyday respectful address used both for and by teachers themselves.
師し匠しょうN1sense 1
師匠 refers specifically to a master in traditional arts, crafts, or performance, whereas 先生 is used broadly for any teacher or respected professional.
講こう師しN2sense 1
講師 designates a lecturer or instructor, often part-time or at a university, while 先生 is the general respectful term used to address any teacher.
恩おん師しN1sense 1
恩師 emphasizes gratitude toward a former teacher who had a lasting influence, while 先生 is the neutral, everyday term of address.

Show 10 more

教きょう諭ゆN1
先生 is a general honorific used for teachers, doctors, and other professionals, while 教諭 is the formal legal term for a licensed schoolteacher.
師しN2
先生 is the everyday, widely used word for a teacher or doctor, while 師 is a more formal, honorific term reserved for masters or mentors, especially in traditional arts.
グル
先生 is the general respectful term for a teacher, doctor, or professional, while グル implies a more personal, often spiritual or charismatic guide.
チューター
先生 is a general, respectful term for any teacher or instructor, whereas チューター specifically denotes a private or supplementary tutor.
師し範はん
先生 is a general, everyday word for teacher or master of any kind, while 師範 is reserved for a highly skilled, often certified instructor in martial arts or traditional crafts.
教きょう官かん
先生 is a polite general term of address for teachers and professionals, while 教官 is a formal job title, not used to address someone directly.
インストラクター
先生 is a broad, respectful title for teachers and other professionals, while インストラクター names a specific job role focused on practical instruction.
お医い者しゃさんN1
先生 is used to address or refer to a doctor directly (like a title), while お医者さん is the general polite word for 'a doctor' as a profession.
教きょう員いんN2
先生 is the polite, everyday title used to address or refer to a teacher, while 教員 is the neutral, institutional term for the profession itself.
指し導どう者しゃ
先生 usually means a teacher in an academic or professional setting, while 指導者 is broader and can describe any kind of guide or mentor outside a classroom.

Politeness

教きょう師しplainN3
先生 is the honorific term used to address or refer respectfully to a teacher, while 教師 is the neutral word for the occupation itself.

Don't confuse with

先せん輩ぱいN4sense 2
先輩 means a senior colleague or upperclassman, not a teacher, though learners sometimes confuse it with 先生 because both are respectful terms of address.

Counted with

名めいN2
Used when counting teachers as people, e.g. 先生3名.
人にん
The everyday counter for people: 一人 (ひとり), 二人 (ふたり), 三人 (さんにん).

Word family

先せん生せい方がた
teachers; doctors; lawyers; masters
大だい先せん生せい
great teacher; great master; great author; great doctor
校こう長ちょう先せん生せい
school principal; headmaster; headmistress
烏う有ゆう先せん生せい
fictitious person; imaginary person
でもしか先せん生せい
teacher who took the job for lack of better options; unmotivated teacher
カリスマ先せん生せい
charismatic teacher; charming professor

Written forms

先せん生せいUsage99%
Standard kanji spelling for all senses.
センセイUsage<1%

Etymology

From Chinese 先生 (xiānshēng), literally 'first born', originally meaning 'elder' or 'teacher'. The Japanese usage preserves the respectful connotation and has broadened to include various professionals.