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

  1. A martial arts instructor. Sensei of martial arts...

Ancestry of “sensei”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese先生an elder; a scholar; a teacher or a professor
2Middle Chinese先生master, elder
3Middle Chineseborn
Every word from Middle Chinese Every word from Middle Chinese 先生Every word from Japanese 先生