先生|せんせいsensei[3]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. nounteacher; instructor; master
   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.
2. noun, noun (suffix)sensei; title or form of address for a teacher, master, doctor, lawyer, etc.
   ぼくはジョーンズ先生せんせいに作文さくぶんを直なおしてもらった。↗

   I had my composition corrected by Mr Jones.
3. nounintimate or teasing form of address
4. nounone's elderorig. meaning

• Synonym師匠ししょうNeutralA master who teaches an art or craft; used especially for traditional performing arts like rakugo, and stresses the master–disciple relationship.
• Synonym師範しはんNeutralAn instructor of martial or traditional arts, or a qualification title, as in 「剣道の師範」.
• Synonym教師きょうしNeutralSomeone whose profession is teaching; describes the job objectively and is not used to address a person directly.
• Synonym教員きょういんNeutralSchool teaching staff; used mainly in institutional or statistical contexts, as in 「教員免許」.
• Synonym教官きょうかんNeutralTeachers at military academies, driving schools, or national institutions; carries an official, institutional flavor.
• SynonymインストラクターNeutralA loanword for coaches of sports and skills, as in 「スキーのインストラクター」.
• Synonym指導員しどういんNeutralA person in charge of instruction or guidance, as in 「児童指導員」; mostly a job title.
• Related老師ろうしWrittenWritten term for a venerable monk or teacher; its usage differs from that of the Chinese word 老师.
• Related親方おやかたNeutralA master craftsman or sumo stable master; stresses handing down the craft and training apprentices.
• Related指南役しなんやくWrittenAn old-fashioned word for someone who guides and teaches; in modern usage mostly figurative.
• Related指南番しなんばんWrittenA post in samurai households for teaching martial arts; now seen mainly in historical settings, or figuratively for a mentor in some field.
• Related師しWrittenWritten word for a mentor or revered teacher; also a suffix naming professionals, as in 「美容師」.
• RelatedティーチャーNeutralA loanword for teacher; almost never used in everyday speech, appearing mostly in names.
• Related宗匠そうしょうWrittenWritten term for a grand master of traditional arts such as the tea ceremony and haiku.
• Related大師範だいしはんFormalThe highest-ranking instructor in martial arts or traditional arts; a formal title.
• Antonym生徒せいとNeutralThe counterpart of 「先生」: pupils at junior and senior high schools, or trainees.
• Antonym学生がくせいNeutralThe counterpart of 「先生」: mostly university students.
• Antonym弟子でしNeutralThe counterpart of 「先生」: a disciple who studies an art under a master.

Use 「先生」 to address or refer to teachers, doctors, lawyers and the like. For the job itself, 「教師」 and 「教員」 are the neutral terms; for traditional arts pick 「師匠」 or 「師範」; for sports and skills coaching, 「インストラクター」; for master craftsmen, 「親方」. The rest are specialized titles, written or historical words, while 「生徒」「学生」「弟子」 are the learners on the other side of 「先生」.

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

1. （原義げんぎ）先さきに生うまれた人ひと。
2. 学問がくもんや芸能げいのうを教おしえる人ひと。
3. 教師きょうし及および教育きょういく関係者かんけいしゃ（の名な）を呼よぶときの敬称けいしょう。
4. （尊敬そんけいすべき職業しょくぎょうについている）人ひとを呼よぶときの敬称けいしょう。
5. （諧謔かいぎゃく的てき）人ひと。御仁ごじん。傑物けつぶつ。大将たいしょう。