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{{distinguish|Sansei}}
{{otheruses}}
{{short description|East Asian word for "master"}}
{{onesource|date=July 2010}}
{{italictitle}}
{{refimprove|date=June 2006}}
{{other uses}}
{{Wiktionary}} [[Image:Karatedo.jpg|right|thumb|[[Martial arts]] sensei]]
{{Infobox Chinese
'''{{nihongo|Sensei|[[wiktionary:先生|先生]]|}}''' is a [[Japanese language|Japanese]] word that basically means "person born before another."<ref>Kōjien Japanese dictionary, entry for 先生.</ref> In general usage, it means "master" or "teacher,"<ref>Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary, entry for "sensei"</ref> and the word is used as a [[Japanese titles|title]] to refer to or address [[teacher]]s, [[professor]]s, professionals such as [[lawyer]]s, [[Certified Public Accountant|CPA]] and [[Physician|doctor]]s, [[politician]]s, [[clergyman|clergymen]], and other figures of authority.<ref>Secrets of the Samurai, Ratti & Westbrook, Tuttle, 1973</ref> The word is also used to show respect to someone who has achieved a certain level of mastery in an art form or some other skill: accomplished puppeteers, [[novelist]]s, [[musician]]s, and [[artist]]s for example are addressed in this way. The two characters that make up the term can be directly translated as "born before" and implies one who teaches based on wisdom from age and experience.<ref>{{cite web|author=Jun Akiyama |url=http://www.aikiweb.com/language/goldsbury1.html |title=AikiWeb Aikido Information: Language: Sensei/Shihan as "Teacher" in Japanese |publisher=Aikiweb.com |date= |accessdate=2010-12-02}}</ref>
| title = ''Xiansheng''
| altname =
| c = {{linktext|先生}}
| t =
| l = "[one] born before" > "elder"
| s =
| p = xiānshēng
| w = hsien<sup>1</sup>-sheng<sup>1</sup>
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|x|ian|1|.|sh|eng|1}}
| ci =
| y = sīn-sāang
| j = sin1 saang1
| poj = sian-siⁿ
| tl = sian-sinn
| mc = sen-shang
| kanji = 先生
| hiragana = せんせい
| katakana = センセイ
| romaji = sensei
| hangul = 선생
| rr = seonsaeng
| pfs = sîn-sâng
| phfs = sîn-sâng
| hhbuc = sĭng-săng
| oc-bs = /*sˤər sreŋ/
| oc-zz = /*sɯːn sʰleːŋ/
| wuu = shien san
| Wu Romanization = shien san
| qn = Tiên sinh
| hn = 先生
}}
== Use in{{Zen Buddhism ==}}▼
 
The term "先生", read '''''sensei''''' in [[Japanese language|Japanese]], '''''hsien sheng'''''/'''''xiansheng''''' in [[Chinese language|Chinese]], '''''seonsaeng''''' in [[Korean language|Korean]], and '''''tiên sinh''''' in [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]], is an [[honorific]] used in the [[Sinosphere]]. The term literally means "person born before another" or "one who comes before".<ref>{{cite news|work=Kōjien Japanese Dictionary|title= 先生}}</ref> In general usage, it is used, with proper form, after a person's name and means "teacher".<ref>{{cite news|work=Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary|title=Sense}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=先生 (xiānsheng) |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/chinese-english/先生 |website=Collins Mandarin Chinese Dictionary |publisher=}}</ref> The word is also used as a title to refer to or address other professionals or people of authority, such as [[clergy]], [[accountant]]s, [[lawyer]]s, [[physician]]s and [[politician]]s<ref>{{cite book|title=Secrets of the Samurai|publisher= Ratti & Westbrook|author= Tuttle|date= 1973}}</ref> or to show respect to someone who has achieved a certain level of mastery in an art form or some other skill, e.g., accomplished [[novelist]]s, [[musician]]s, [[artist]]s and [[martial arts|martial artists]].
The word prefaced by the adjective 大, pronounced "dai" (or "ō"), which means "great" or "large," is often translated "grand master." This compound term, "dai-sensei," is sometimes used to refer to the top sensei in a particular school or tradition, particularly within the [[iemoto]] system. For a more senior member of a group who has not achieved the level of sensei, the term '''{{nihongo|[[senpai]]|[[wiktionary:先輩|先輩]]}}''' is used – note the common use of 先 "before"; in martial arts, this is particularly used for the most senior non-sensei member.▼
 
==Etymology==
The Japanese expression of ''sensei'' shares the same characters as the [[Chinese language|Chinese]] word, pronounced '''xiānshēng''' in [[Standard Chinese]].
The two characters that make up the term can be directly translated as "born before" and imply one who teaches based on [[wisdom]] from age and experience.<ref>{{cite web|author=Akiyama, Jun |url=http://www.aikiweb.com/language/goldsbury1.html |website=AikiWeb |title=Aikido Information: Language: Sensei/Shihan as "Teacher" in Japanese |access-date=2010-12-02}}</ref>
Xiansheng is a courtesy title for a man of respected stature. It can also be attached to a man's name to mean "gentleman" or, more commonly, "mister". Prior to the development of the modern [[vernacular]], ''xiansheng'' was used to address teachers of both genders; this has fallen out of usage in Standard Chinese, though it is retained in some southern Chinese dialects such as [[Cantonese]], [[Hokkien]] and [[Hakka (language)|Hakka]] where it still has the meaning "teacher" or "doctor". In Japanese, ''sensei'' is still used to address people of both genders. It is likely both the current Southern Chinese and Japanese usages are more reflective of its [[Middle Chinese]] [[etymology]].
 
▲The word prefaced by the adjective 大, pronounced "dai" (or "ō"), which means "great" or "large," , is often translated "[[Grandmaster (martial arts)|grand master.]]". This compound term, "dai-sensei," (大先生), is sometimes used to refer to the top sensei in a particular school or tradition, particularly within the [[iemoto]] system. For a more senior member of a group who has not achieved the level of sensei, the term '''{{nihongo|[[Senpai and kōhai|senpai]]|[[wiktionary:先輩|先輩]]}}''' is used – note the common use of 先 "before"; in martial arts, this is particularly used for the most senior non-sensei member.
▲== Use in Buddhism ==
In [[Sanbo Kyodan]] related [[zen]] schools, ''sensei'' is used to refer to ordained teachers below the rank of [[rōshi]]. However, other schools of [[Japanese Buddhism]] use the term for any priest regardless of seniority; for example, this title is also used for [[Jōdo Shinshū]] ministers in the [[United States]], whether they are ethnic Japanese or not. In the [[Kwan Um School of Zen]], according to [[Zen master]] [[Seung Sahn]], the title Ji Do Poep Sa Nim is much like the Japanese title "sensei."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kwanumzen.org/1987/inka-means-strong-center-and-wisdom/ |title=Zen Master Seung Sahn - Inka Means Strong Center and Wisdom |publisher=Kwanumzen.org |date= |accessdate=2011-12-06}}</ref> In [[Nichiren Buddhism]], ''sensei'' refers to the highest figure of authority in the organization, [http://www.sgi.org/ SGI].▼
 
The Japanese expression of 'sensei' shares the same characters as the [[Chinese language|Chinese]] word 先生, pronounced ''xiānshēng'' in [[Standard Chinese]]. Xiansheng was a courtesy title for a man of respected stature. [[Middle Chinese]] pronunciation of this term may have been *{{IPA|senʃaŋ}} or *{{IPA|sienʃaŋ}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Web韻圖 ～廣韻檢索～ |url=http://suzukish.s252.xrea.com/search/inkyo/yunzi/%E7%94%9F |access-date=2022-10-18 |website=suzukish.s252.xrea.com}}</ref> In [[modern Standard Chinese]], it is also used in the same way as the title "Mr". Prior to the development of the modern [[vernacular]], ''xiānshēng'' was used to address teachers of both genders; this has fallen out of usage in Standard Chinese, though it is retained in some southern Chinese [[varieties of Chinese|Chinese varieties]] such as [[Cantonese]], [[Hokkien]], [[Wu Chinese|Wu]], [[Teochew dialect|Teochew]] and [[Hakka Chinese|Hakka]], where it still has the meaning "teacher" or "doctor". In Japanese, ''sensei'' is still used to address people of both genders. It is likely both the current Southern Chinese and Japanese usages are more reflective of its Middle Chinese [[etymology]]. For Hokkien and Teochew communities in Singapore and Malaysia, "''Sensei''" is the proper word to address school teachers.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}} [[Traditional Chinese medicine|Traditional physicians]] in the Malay Peninsular and Singapore are addressed among locals with the [[Hokkien]] variant ''sinseh''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lim Kean Ghee |title=The History of Medicine and Health in Malaysia |date=2016 |publisher=self |location=Petaling Jaya |isbn=978-983-40800-1-3 |pages=20–1}}</ref>
== Usage with negative connotations ==
 
''Sensei'' can also be used with negative connotations. Sometimes enthusiastic supporters and admirers use it fawningly, as when addressing or talking about charismatic business, political, and spiritual leaders. Japanese speakers are particularly sensitive to this usage when it concerns members of an [[in-group]] who spontaneously associate or identify ''sensei'' with a particular person—many if not most Japanese speakers readily see this usage as indicative of adherents speaking of a [[charisma]]tic spiritual or [[cult]] leader. When talking about such situations, Japanese speakers will sometimes use the term sarcastically to ridicule overblown adulation, and the Japanese media frequently invoke it to highlight the [[megalomania]] of those who allow themselves to be addressed in this manner. In speech, a sarcastic ''sensei'' is intoned for emphasis, whereas in print it is rendered in [[katakana]], akin to [[scare quotes]] or [[Italic type|italics]] in English.
==Use in Buddhism==
▲In [[Sanbo Kyodan]] related [[zen]] schools, ''sensei'' is used to refer to ordained teachers below the rank of [[rōshi]]. However, other schools of [[Japanese Buddhism in Japan]] use the term for any priest regardless of seniority; for example, this title is also used for [[Jōdo Shinshū]] ministers in the [[United States]], whether they are ethnic Japanese or not. In the [[Kwan Um School of Zen]], according to [[Zen master]] [[Seung SahnSeungsahn]], the [[Korean language|Korean]] title Ji''ji Dodo Poeppoep Sasa Nimnim'' is much like the Japanese title "sensei.".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kwanumzen.org/1987/inka-means-strong-center-and-wisdom/ |title=Zen Master Seung Sahn -– Inka Means Strong Center and Wisdom |publisher=Kwanumzen.org |access-date= |accessdate=2011-12-06}}</ref> |url-status=dead In [[Nichiren Buddhism]], ''sensei'' refers to the highest figure of authority in the organization, [|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406213535/http://www.sgikwanumzen.org/1987/inka-means-strong-center-and-wisdom/ SGI].|archive-date=2012-04-06 }}</ref>
 
==See also==
* [[Japanese honorifics#Martial arts titles|Japanese martial arts titles]]
* [[Chinese language|Chinese]]: [[sifushifu]]▼
*[[Shishō]]
* [[RoshiSanskrit]]: [[guru]]
* [[Zen ranks and hierarchy]]
▲*[[Chinese language|Chinese]]: [[sifu]]
*[[Sanskrit]]: [[guruSenpai]]
* [[Rōshi]]
 
== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
 
== External links ==
{{Wiktionary|sensei|先生|선생}}
*[http://www.judoinfo.com/sensei1.htm What is a Sensei in Judo?]▼
 
▲* [http://www.judoinfo.com/sensei1.htm What is a Sensei in Judo?]
* [http://karatecoaching.com/what-is-sensei-%E5%85%88%E7%94%9F-who-can-be-a-sensei/ Karate: What is a Sensei in Karate?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821101854/http://karatecoaching.com/what-is-sensei-%E5%85%88%E7%94%9F-who-can-be-a-sensei/ |date=2018-08-21 }}
 
{{Buddhism topics}}
{{Japanese social terms}}
 
[[Category:Japanese honorifics]]
[[Category:Titles and rank in Japanese martial arts terms]]
[[Category:Titles and rank in Japanese and Korean martialBuddhist artstitles]]
[[Category:ZenJapanese termswords and phrases]]
[[Category:BuddhistJapanese titlesvalues]]
[[Category:Zen]]
 
[[ast:Sensei]]
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[[it:Sensei]]
[[hu:Szenszei]]
[[nl:Sensei]]
[[ja:先生]]
[[no:Sensei]]
[[pl:Sensei]]
[[ru:Сэнсэй]]
[[sr:Сенсеи]]
[[fi:Sensei]]
[[sv:Sensei]]
[[th:เซ็นเซ]]
[[tr:Sensei]]
[[uk:Сенсей]]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensei"