Sensei

Sensei

Sensei (先生?) is a Japanese word that is literally translated as "person born before another". In general usage, it means "master" or "teacher", and the word is used as a title to refer to or address teachers, professors, professionals such as lawyers, CPA and doctors, politicians, clergymen, and other figures of authority. 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, novelists, musicians, and artists for example are addressed in this way.

[edit]Etymology

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.[4]

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 senpai (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.

[edit]See also

Japanese martial arts titles Shisho Roshi

[edit]References

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^ Kōjien Japanese dictionary, entry for 先生. ^ Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary, entry for "sensei" ^ Secrets of the Samurai, Ratti & Westbrook, Tuttle, 1973 ^ Jun Akiyama. "AikiWeb Aikido Information: Language: Sensei/Shihan as "Teacher" in Japanese". Aikiweb.com. Retrieved 2010-12-02. ^ "Zen Master Seung Sahn - Inka Means Strong Center and Wisdom". Kwanumzen.org. Retrieved 2011-12-06.