sensei

Sensei (先生) is a Japanese honorific title meaning "teacher" or "master." The term derives from the characters 先 "before" and 生 "birth" or "life," and is commonly translated as "one who has gone before."

In Japan, sensei is used for school teachers, medical doctors, lawyers, and masters of traditional arts such as calligraphy, tea ceremony, or martial arts. It signals respect for one's knowledge and the obligation of guidance one owes to students. The form is typically paired with the person’s name or discipline, e.g., Tanaka-sensei, karate-sensei.

In martial arts and other fields taught abroad, sensei has been adopted as a general term of respect for instructors. The sensei–deshi relationship emphasizes discipline, mentorship, and ongoing learning, with students often addressing instructors as sensei regardless of their rank or age.

Outside Japan, sensei is widely recognized from popular culture and is commonly used by learners to show reverence for a master or teacher. It is not ordinarily used for family members or casual acquaintances in Japan.

Related terms include senpai (upperclassman or senior) and, in other languages, equivalents such as laoshi in Chinese or sifu in some Chinese martial arts, though usage and connotations differ by culture.