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Sensei and Senpai

You may have heard the phrase ‘Sensei’ or ‘Senpai’ in the dojo, so what do these Japanese phrases mean?  Sensei (先生) (pronounced sen-say), translates as “one who gone before”.  Typically used when referring to teachers, from school, university and also training instructors such as karate and dance.  Used to refer to someone who has experience and mastery in a certain area.

Senpai (先輩) (pronounced sen-pie) translates as “Senior”, a term used to describe a person of more seniority and experience, mentoring and supporting the junior roles and members.  Typically used for students, sports players, office workers and even professionals.   In fact, many people known as Sensei will be a Senpai to someone more experienced to them.

So who should be called Sensei?

It refers to a person who is more experienced, skilled and knowledgeable than you in a particular area of mastery, so your karate instructor/teacher.  The word is an honorific, showing or giving honour or respect (Cambridge dictionary); used when addressing or referring to a person, just like Mr or Mrs.

 The term sensei is a name that others, such as your students, call you.  It’s considered pretentious to call it yourself, so you should find that people do not refer to themselves as sensei.  You’ll hear students in the dojo calling the instructor by that term, and it goes after the person’s name.  However having said that, it’s often used as a nickname, without the need to use it as an honorific, so teachers and mentors are often just called Sensei.

So who should be called Senpai?

A senpai within a dojo has usually trained for a long time with the instructor, and more likely a senior kyu, or shodan/nidan grade.  They understand the instructor’s goals, their principles and teaching methods.  They are usually the ones who the sensei goes to for assisting with demonstrations in the class.

 A responsible role, a senpai is there to assist the sensei in the dojo, supporting the junior students in any way they can, leading by example.  Taking on an active, hands-on approach, senpai’s assist in the teaching of lower-ranked (kohai 後輩) students.

 Becoming a senpai is an important step in your training, your sensei will monitor how you treat others in the dojo, your participation within the class in addition to how you train.  Everything you do in the dojo is a test, from your kihon to kata, your kumite to self-defense skills and more.

 It’s a responsibility that should never be taken lightly.  Your sensei will demand more from you because they trust you, preparing you for higher levels of training.  Therefore you should set the example for others and lead by your actions.

Humility is an important trait of karate-do.  Regardless of your honorific title, we are constantly students, learning, pushing ourselves, understanding ourselves, pushing us to continue reaching for our full potential.

 “The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.” – Gichin Funakoshi

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