Sensei
先生
Japanese form of address for a teacher, literally “one who was born earlier”. In the dojo it goes to the training leader, in Japan also to a doctor or lawyer.
Quick Facts
Word breakdown
Definition
Sensei (先生) consists of the characters 先, earlier, beforehand, and 生, to be born, to live. Literally, then, “one who was born earlier”, a person who teaches from wisdom gained through age and experience. In Japanese it is not a title reserved for the martial arts: teachers are addressed as sensei, but so are doctors, lawyers, accountants, clergy or politicians. The word is attached after a name (Kano-sensei) or used alone as a form of address, and it is the same for men and women. The same characters are read in Chinese as xiansheng, today in everyday speech a polite “mister”, and in Korean as seonsaeng (선생).
In practice
In the dojo, the person leading training is addressed as sensei. It is not a rank: level is shown by kyu and dan grades, and teaching titles such as shihan, kyoshi or hanshi are awarded by an organization. Students who train longer in the school are called senpai. The word shares the character 先, earlier, with sensei. The highest master of a school or tradition is dai-sensei (大先生), “great teacher”.
Relations to other terms
Equivalent in another art
Korean title of a martial arts instructor. Politely addressed as sabeomnim. Written with the same characters as the Japanese shihan.
Sifu師父Form of address for a teacher in Chinese martial arts. Sifu in Cantonese, shifu in Mandarin. The characters 師父 mean “teacher father”.
MestreMestrePortuguese for master, the highest title in capoeira. Besides technique it covers music, singing, knowledge of tradition and leading a group.
GuroGuroFilipino word for teacher, a common instructor title in Filipino martial arts (arnis, eskrima, kali).
Gurukkalഗുരുക്കൾThe title of a teacher and master of kalaripayattu in Kerala. A gurukkal leads the kalari and teaches fighting and traditional healing.
See also
An older colleague in a dojo, school or company who started earlier. Toward the younger kohai he has a duty to help and advise, and they show him respect.
Shihan師範An honorary title of a high-ranking teacher. Literally “exemplary teacher”. Who receives it and under what conditions differs by organization.
Hanshi範士The highest of the three shogo teaching titles, next to renshi and kyoshi. In kendo it can be earned no sooner than eight years after kyoshi and eighth dan.
Comparable terms in other languages and arts
- xiansheng (先生) — Chinese · approximate
- seonsaeng (선생) — Korean · approximate