Sensei is the Japanese word for ‘teacher’, explained

What does “sensei” mean in Japanese?

There are some homophones, but native speakers say “sensei” normally to mean ‘teacher’ in Japanese. Probably, many Japanese learners know this word as it is often used in Japanese textbooks. In this blog post, however, I will explain this word in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I will explain how to use it through example sentences. My explanations would help Japanese learners understand “sensei” more clearly. Then, let’s get started!

Contents

• Definition and meaning of “sensei”
• What does “sensei” literally mean in Japanese?
  • Example #1: how to say “teacher” in Japanese
  • Example #2: another usage of “sensei”
• Summary

Definition and meaning of “sensei”

Let me start with the definition and meaning of “sensei”.

• sensei – 先生 (せんせい) : a noun meaning ‘teacher’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural. Learn more about Japanese plural.

The definition and meaning are simple and clear. To understand this noun more clearly, however, let me explain its kanji characters in detail, one by one.

What does “sensei” literally mean in Japanese?

The kanji expression of “sensei” consists of the following two kanji characters:

• 先 : a kanji character used to mean ‘before’, ‘earlier’, ‘previous’, or such in Japanese. This can also be found in other words like “senpai“.
• 生 : a kanji character used to mean ‘birth’, ‘born’, ‘life’, or such in Japanese.

These two kanji characters tell us that “sensei” literally means ‘previously born’ in Japanese. This literal interpretation is not completely in line with the actual meaning, but still understandable, I think. Teachers are often born earlier than students. In addition, this kanji expression implies the fact that “sensei” can refer not only to teachers in school, but to mentors outside as well. In this regard, this noun is a bit different from “kyoushi”.

When we meet new kanji expressions, we should check their kanji characters in detail to understand their meanings clearly and deeply. In many cases, kanji characters tell us a lot about the meanings of the expressions they form. Actually, here, we could get the better understanding of “sensei” through the detailed kanji check above.

So far, I’ve explained the definition and meaning of “sensei” together with its kanji characters. Then, let me explain how to use it through the example sentences below.

Example #1: how to say “teacher” in Japanese

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• watashi – 私 (わたし) : a pronoun meaning ‘I’ in Japanese.
• wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this works after “watashi” to make the subject in the sentence.
• ga – が : a case particle used to make the subject word or the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “sensei” to make the object in the sentence.
• suki – 好き (すき) : the stem part of the na-adjective, “sukina”, which means ‘favorite’ in Japanese. Native speakers, however, often use this as an individual word to mean ‘to like’ or ‘to love’ in Japanese. In the example, this is used to mean ‘to like’.
• desu – です : an auxiliary verb used after a noun or adjective to make it polite. Probably, this is well known as a part of Japanese desu form. In the example, this is used after “suki” to make it sound polite.

This is a typical usage of “sensei”. In this example, it works together with the case particle, “ga”, to become the object in the sentence.

Example #2: another usage of “sensei”

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• boku – 僕 (ぼく) : a pronoun meaning ‘I’ in Japanese. This is used mainly by boys and young males.
• nihongo – 日本語 (にほんご) : a noun meaning ‘Japanese’ or ‘Japanese language’ in Japanese.
• no – の : a case particle joining two nouns. Normally, the first one can work as a modifier to describe the second. In the example, this works to join “nihongo” and “sensei”. The formed phrase literally means a ‘Japanese teacher’ in Japanese.
• ni – に : a case particle used to say what someone or something becomes after a change or action. In the example, this is used after “nihongo no sensei” to say what the speaker wants to become.
• nari – なり : one conjugation of the verb, “naru”, which means ‘to become’, ‘to turn’, or just ‘to be’ in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
• tai – たい : an auxiliary verb used after a verb to make its desire form. In the example, this is used after “nari” to make its desire form, “nari tai”, which means ‘to want to be’ in Japanese.

This is another typical usage of “sensei”. In this example, it works together with “nihongo” and “no” to mean a ‘Japanese teacher’ in Japanese. When we want to refer to a teacher or teachers in Japanese, anyway, this noun is always a very good option.

Summary

In this blog post, I’ve explained the definition and meaning of “sensei” in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I’ve explained how to use it through the example sentences. Let me summarize them as follows.

• sensei – 先生 (せんせい) : a noun meaning ‘teacher’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural. These two kanji characters literally mean ‘previously born’ in Japanese. This literal interpretation is not completely in line with the actual meaning, but still understandable, I think. Teachers are often born earlier than students. In addition, this kanji expression implies the fact that “sensei” can refer not only to teachers in school, but to mentors outside as well. In this regard, this noun is a bit different from “kyoushi”.

Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.