How to say "master" in Japanese

• 君くんJLPT N4approx.Common
  suffixCovers 'master' only when addressing a boy or young male — 'young master'. It is really a title used with names, roughly 'Mr', so for a servant's master it is not the word you want.
  トニー君くんはなんと上手じょうずにテニスをすることができるのだろう。↗

  How well Tony can play tennis!
• 先生せんせいJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounCovers 'master' in the sense of a teacher or mentor — an accomplished practitioner one learns from or addresses respectfully, as with a master of an art or craft.
  われわれの先生せんせいは真しんの意味いみで紳士しんしです。↗

  Our teacher is a gentleman in the true sense of the word.
• 主しゅCommon
  nounCovers 'master' as the person one serves — one's lord or employer, the head of a master–servant relationship. Typically it refers to one's own master, as when a servant speaks of 'my master'.
• マスターJLPT N3approx.Common
  suru verb, transitive verbCovers 'master' only as a verb: to master a skill, learning it thoroughly until you can do it well. For 'master' as a person, this is not the word you want.
  １、２年ねんでマスターするのは難むずかしい。↗

  It is hard to master it in a year or two.
• 旦那だんなJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounCovers 'master' as the master of a house or shop — the head of a household or the proprietor of a shop, as when staff or family speak of 'the master'.
  その醜みにくい肉屋にくやの旦那だんなはあの想像そうぞう上じょうの怪物かいぶつに似にている。↗

  That ugly butcher resembles that fictional monster.

Choose 先生 for a master as a teacher or mentor, 主 for the master one serves, 旦那 for the master of a house or shop, 「マスター」 for the verb 'to master', and 君 only to address a boy.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 君くんMr
• 先生せんせいteacher
• 主しゅ(one's) master
• マスターto master (a skill)
• 旦那だんなmaster (of a house, shop, etc.)
• 師匠ししょうmaster
• 主ぬしhead (of a household, etc.)
• 名人めいじんmaster
• 親方おやかたmaster
• 大家たいかmaster
• 達人たつじんmaster
• 名手めいしゅmaster
• 巨匠きょしょうmaster
• 玄人くろうとexpert
• 亭主ていしゅhousehold head
• 師範しはんinstructor (esp. of martial or traditional arts)
• 主君しゅくんlord
• ご主人様ごしゅじんさまmaster
• 使いこなすつかいこなすto handle (men)
• 主あるじhead (of a household)
• 修めるおさめるto study
• 主しゅう(one's) master
• 師しteacher
• マイスターmaster
• 宗匠そうしょうmaster
• 大師範だいしはんmaster
• 身につくみにつくto master (e.g. a skill)
• 覚えこむおぼえこむto memorize
• 国手こくしゅskilled physician
• 達士たっしexpert
• 抱え主かかえぬしemployer (esp. of a geisha, prostitute, etc.)
• ゴッドハンド(person who has the) hands of God
• 神の手かみのて(person who has the) hands of God
• 究めるきわめるto investigate thoroughly
• きゅんMr
• 夫子ふうしteacher
• 修するしゅうするto study
• お殿様おとのさまlord
• 主人しゅじん(one's) employer
• 達者たっしゃmaster
• 君きみmonarch
• 使い手つかいてmaster (e.g. of swordsmanship)
• パトロンpatron
• 妙手みょうしゅexpert
• 王おうtycoon
• 子しfounder of a school of thought (esp. Confucius)
• こなれるto master (a skill)
• 旦那様だんなさまmaster (of a house, shop, etc.)
• ものにするto learn
• 大旦那おおだんな(one's) employer
• つわものperson of courage
• 和尚おしょうmaster (of one's art, trade, etc.)
• 冴えるさえるto master (a skill)
• 曲者くせものexpert
• 聖ひじりmaster
• 本手ほんてexpert