せんせい
senseinoun, respectful
In hiragana, "teacher" is せんせい (sensei). Students use it to address their teacher, and it works as a title after a name. It is also called きょうし (kyōshi).
Meaning: a teacher (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| せんせい | sensei | noun, respectful |
| きょうし | kyōshi | noun, profession |
Attach it to a surname: たなかせんせい (Tanaka sensei) means Teacher Tanaka. You can also call out just せんせい to get a teacher's attention.
Which one should you use?
きょうし (kyōshi) names the profession in a neutral way, for example on forms. せんせい is the respectful term used to address or refer to a teacher.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use せんせい for yourself. Say わたしはきょうしです (watashi wa kyōshi desu) to tell someone you are a teacher.
Did you know?
- せんせい (sensei) is also used for doctors, lawyers and politicians, not only for school teachers.
Examples in context
- わたしのせんせいはやさしいです。Watashi no sensei wa yasashii desu.My teacher is kind.
- ちちはこうこうのきょうしです。Chichi wa kōkō no kyōshi desu.My father is a high school teacher.
Example conversation
Ren raises his hand in class and speaks with his teacher Mr. Yamada.
- Renせんせい、しつもんがあります。Sensei, shitsumon ga arimasu.Teacher, I have a question.
- Mr. Yamadaはい、どうぞ。Hai, dōzo.Yes, go ahead.
- Renこのかんじはどうよみますか。Kono kanji wa dō yomimasu ka.How do you read this kanji?
