senpai

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese (せん)(ぱい) (senpai). Doublet of sunbae.

Pronunciation

  • (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈsɛnpaɪ/, /ˈsɛmpaɪ/, [ˈsɛnpaɪ̯], [ˈsɛmpaɪ̯]

Noun

senpai (plural senpais or senpai)

  1. The senior member of a group in Japanese arts; a mentor.
    • 1974, Thomas P. Rohlen, For Harmony and Strength: Japanese White-Collar Organization in Anthropological Perspective, University of California Press, →ISBN, page 131:
      Senpai are also known to intercede on behalf of their kohai to explain their mistakes.
    • 2022, Marc Helmold, Ayşe Küçük Yılmaz, Triant Flouris, Thomas Winner, Violeta Cvetkoska, Tracy Dathe, Lean Management, Kaizen, Kata and Keiretsu: Best-Practice Examples and Industry Insights from Japanese Concepts, Springer, →ISBN, page 57:
      They usually act as a mentor for kōhai, although in reality not all senpai are as generous or genuine about mentoring junior colleagues.
    • 2022, Alex W. Tong, The Science and Philosophy of Martial Arts: Exploring the Connections Between the Cognitive, Physical, and Spiritual Aspects of Martial Arts, Blue Snake Books, →ISBN, page 203:
      Many senpai attend the same dōjō for decades.
  2. (anime and manga, fandom slang) An upperclassman or elder student.

Usage notes

  • Use in English may carry humorous or affectionate connotations. This is possibly due to (assumed) reference to modern Japanese media, or possibly a lexical gap.

Antonyms

Anagrams

Japanese

Romanization

senpai

  1. Rōmaji transcription of せんぱい
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