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Sensei - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sensei (?) is a Japanese word that is literally translated as "person born before another".[1] In general usage, it is used, with proper form, after a person's name, and means "teacher",[2] and the word is used as a title to refer to or address teachers, professors, professionals such as lawyers, CPA anddoctors, politicians, clergymen, and other figures of authority.[3] The word is also used to show respect to someone who has achieved a certain level of mastery in an art form or some other skill: accomplished puppeteers, novelists,musicians, and artists for example are addressed in this way.
Contents [hide] 1 Etymology 2 Use in Buddhism 3 Usage with negative connotations 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

Etymology

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The two characters that make up the term can be directly translated as "born before" and implies one who teaches based on wisdom from age and experience.[4] The word prefaced by the adjective , pronounced "dai" (or ""), which means "great" or "large", is often translated "grand master". This compound term, "dai-sensei", is sometimes used to refer to the top sensei in a particular school or tradition, particularly within the iemotosystem. For a more senior member of a group who has not achieved the level of sensei, the term senpai (?) is used note the common use of "before"; in martial arts, this is particularly used for the most senior non-sensei member. The Japanese expression of 'sensei' shares the same characters as the Chinese word , pronounced xinshng in Standard Chinese. Xiansheng is a courtesy title for a man of respected stature, but was pronounced SenSeng in Middle Chinese.[citation needed] It can also be attached to a man's name to mean "gentleman" or, more commonly, "mister". Prior to the development of the modern vernacular, xiansheng was used to address teachers of both genders; this has fallen out of usage in Standard Chinese, though it is retained in some southern Chinese dialects such as Cantonese, Hokkien and Hakka where it still has the meaning "teacher" or "doctor". In Japanese, sensei is still used to address people of both genders. It is likely both the current Southern Chinese and Japanese usages are more reflective of its Middle Chinese etymology.

Use in Buddhism

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In Sanbo Kyodan related zen schools, sensei is used to refer to ordained teachers below the rank of rshi. However, other schools of Japanese Buddhism use the term for any priest regardless of seniority; for example, this title is also used for Jdo Shinsh ministers in theUnited States, whether they are ethnic Japanese or not. In the Kwan Um School of Zen, according to Zen master Seung Sahn, the title Ji Do Poep Sa Nim is much like the Japanese title "sensei".[5] In Nichiren Buddhism, sensei refers to the highest figure of authority in the organization. In Soka Gakkai International (SGI), an offshoot of Nichiren Shsh, sensei is used to refer to President Daisaku Ikeda.[6]

Usage with negative connotations

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9/24/13

Sensei - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

challenged and removed. (September 2012) Sensei can also be used with negative connotations. Sometimes enthusiastic supporters and admirers use it fawningly, as when addressing or talking about charismatic business, political, and spiritual leaders. Japanese speakers are particularly sensitive to this usage when it concerns members of an in-group who spontaneously associate or identify senseiwith a particular personmany if not most Japanese speakers readily see this usage as indicative of adherents speaking of a charismatic spiritual or cult leader. When talking about such situations, Japanese speakers will sometimes use the term sarcastically to ridicule overblown adulation, and the Japanese media frequently invoke it to highlight themegalomania of those who allow themselves to be addressed in this manner. In speech, a sarcastic sensei is intoned for emphasis, whereas in print it is rendered in katakana, akin toscare quotes or italics in English.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensei

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