Where does “sensei” come from?
Sensei comes from Japanese せんせい, meaning a teacher or person born before another, from earlier Chinese roots meaning "one who was born first."
sensei (English): A martial arts instructor. Sensei of martial arts...
Definitions
- A martial arts instructor. Sensei of martial arts...
Ancestry of “sensei”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 先生 | an elder; a scholar; a teacher or a professor |
| 2 | Middle Chinese | 先生 | master, elder |
| 3 | Middle Chinese | 生 | born |