先生
sensei[sẽ̞ɰ̃se̞ː]
The English word 'teacher' can be translated into Japanese as 先生 (sensei) or 教師.
Meaning: person who teaches (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 先生 | sensei | [sẽ̞ɰ̃se̞ː] (narrow) |
| 教師 | kyōshi | [kʲo̞ːɕi] (narrow) |
先生 is an honorific term used to address teachers or people in respected professions, such as doctors, lawyers or authors. 教師 is used to describe the profession of teaching itself.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 先生 literally means 'one who was born before' (先 meaning before and 生 meaning birth/life).
Which one should you use?
先生 is used as a title or a way to address a teacher directly. In contrast, 教師 is used to state one's occupation or to refer to the profession of teaching in a formal or descriptive sense.
How do you pronounce it?
sensei
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using 先生 to refer to yourself, as it is an honorific title used for others. Instead, use 教師 or other descriptive terms for your own profession.
Did you know?
- Calling yourself 先生 is considered extremely arrogant and is a social taboo in Japan.
- Manga artists and novelists are addressed as 先生, regardless of whether they have ever taught a class.
- The term 先生 can be used as a standalone noun to replace a person's name entirely when speaking to them.
Examples in context
- 彼は教師です。He is a teacher.Tatoeba #108340 by bunbuku, translation #295346 by CK
- 先生に頼もう。Let's ask the teacher.Tatoeba #141738 by bunbuku, translation #272832 by CK
- 私も先生です。I am a teacher, too.Tatoeba #152190 by small_snow, translation #262362 by CK
- 604 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are talking about their new instructor at school.
- 大翔 Hiroto新しい先生の名前を知ってる？Atarashii sensei no namae o shitteru?Do you know the new teacher's name?
- 結衣 Yuiええ、佐藤先生ですよ。Ee, Satou-sensei desu yo.Yes, it is Mr. Sato.
- 大翔 Hiroto結衣さんは、佐藤先生についてどう思う？Yui-san wa, Satou-sensei ni tsuite dou omou?Yui, what do you think about Mr. Sato?
- 結衣 Yuiとても厳しそうだけど、優しそうです。Totemo kibishisou dakedo, yasashisou desu.He looks very strict, but also kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “teacher” translations and entries 先生, 教師, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
