老師|ろうしroushi[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nounold master; old teacher
2. nounold monk; aged priest

• Related教師きょうしNeutralA teacher by profession and the most general term; 「老師」is an honorific for monks or revered teachers and is rare in everyday speech.
• Related師匠ししょうFormalFormal: a master who passes on an art or craft, such as rakugo storytelling or sumo.
• Related師範しはんFormalFormal: an instructor of martial arts, tea ceremony and the like; can also denote a certified qualification.
• Related指南役しなんやくWrittenWritten style: one who guides others in an art, study or work; the shogun's sword instructor was one example, and the word is still used today.
• Related指南番しなんばんWrittenWritten style: an instructor of martial arts; old-fashioned and little used.
• Related師しFormalFormal: a teacher or mentor, also used as an honorific after a name; 「老師」carries a stronger sense of age and virtue.
• Antonym弟子でしNeutralA pupil or disciple — the counterpart of the master that 「老師」denotes.

For an ordinary teacher say 「先生」or 「教師」; for a master of a traditional art say 「師匠」. 「老師」is an honorific for an aged monk or a revered teacher or master; Chinese 老师 is usually 「先生」in Japanese. A disciple is 「弟子」.

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

1. 徳とくを積つんだ法師ほうし、又または法師ほうし一般いっぱんへの敬称けいしょう。
2. 教師きょうし、師匠ししょうの尊称そんしょう。