Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A teacher or mentor, especially of a martial art.
  • noun Used as a form of address for such a person.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Japanese term for teacher. It has been adopted into English mostly for use with martial arts instructors. Sensei of martial arts usually live and/or work at a dojo where they instruct their apprentices. A live-in apprentice is also called uchi-deshi.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Japanese, teacher, master, from Middle Chinese sianʂaʽjŋ, elder, prior-born (term of respect) (also the source of Mandarin xiānsheng) : sian, first + ʂaʽjŋ, to give birth, be born (ultimately from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sriŋ, live, life; also the source of Burmese hrang, live, alive).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Japanese 先生 sensei, literally ‘one who lived before’.

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Examples

  • When addressing a teacher in the West, a student might say, “Excuse me, Mr. Smith,” but in Japan, the term sensei without a name is sufficient.

    Polishing the apple » Japundit Blog 2005

  • We use Japanese in our class, but I guess our sensei is a traditionalist.

    Thursday's Musical Interlude Ulysses 2009

  • It might take a decade to happen, but we all know it will, because our sensei is just that good.

    11 posts from May 2009 2009

  • It might take a decade to happen, but we all know it will, because our sensei is just that good.

    Innovation 2010

  • It might take a decade to happen, but we all know it will, because our sensei is just that good.

    the "Ed" 2009

  • I even marathoned the manga (all 148 chapters in one sitting) right after seeing episode 1 and ended up sleeping at 4 am. xDD Adachi-sensei is really doing a great job in writing it.

    Year-End Babble: 2009 Anime Notables « Undercover 2009

  • It might take a decade to happen, but we all know it will, because our sensei is just that good.

    Pop Culture 2010

  • It might take a decade to happen, but we all know it will, because our sensei is just that good.

    Creativity 2010

  • It might take a decade to happen, but we all know it will, because our sensei is just that good.

    the "Ed" 2009

  • Koizumi confirms this adding that Maity-sensei is coming as well.

    Lovely Complex ep 18 « Undercover 2007

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