Where does “senpai” come from?

senpai (English) comes from Japanese 先輩, from Middle Chinese 先 — first, former; earlier, first.

senpai (English): The senior member of a group in Japanese arts; a...

Definitions

  1. The senior member of a group in Japanese arts; a...

Ancestry of “senpai”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese先輩a senior, one who has seniority; an upperclassman
2Middle Chinese先first, former; earlier, first

Words derived from “senpai”

Every word from Middle Chinese 先 →Every word from Japanese 先輩 →