先生 etymology

C

Chemist77

後輩

18 Dec 2013

9

0

• 25 Aug 2014

• #1

Hello. The readings for the compound 先生 are both ON readings. I'm wondering if the word itself (sensei) is of Chinese origin, or was the word "manufactured" by joining the kanji readings? Or, were the characters chosen among others with similar readings to conform to the word? Was this the most common procedure?

Thank you.

 

FinancialWar

Sempai

19 May 2006

1,065

44

• 25 Aug 2014

• #2

It's Han Chinese origin, not Wasei Kango.

 

S

SomeCallMeChris

先輩

Ten-year veteran

5 May 2013

962

509

• 25 Aug 2014

• #3

In addition to FinancialWar's correct answer, I'd like to mention that words that are all ON readings largely fall into two groups, words derived directly from the Chinese, and words where the kanji were put together in Japan using ON readings to create a new word (in which case the Kanji determine the pronunciation). That's not quite the whole of ON reading words, there are other cases where the ON readings are fit to an originally Japanese word (called 'ateji'), but they are relatively rare in modern Japanese.

 

C

Chemist77

後輩

18 Dec 2013

9

0

• 25 Aug 2014

• Thread starter
• #4

Thanks a lot.

 

Mike Cash

骨も命も皆此の土地に埋めよう

Twenty-year veteran

15 Mar 2002

16,758

2,298

• 25 Aug 2014

• #5

<pedantry>
Etymology
</pedantry>

 

J

johnnyG

Sempai

Donor

Fifteen-year veteran

23 Dec 2010

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• 25 Aug 2014

• #6

Mike--couldn't have said it better myself.