先生 etymology

[Chemist77]

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]

It's Han Chinese origin, not Wasei Kango.

 

[SomeCallMeChris]

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.

 

[Chemist77]

Thanks a lot.

 

[Mike Cash]

<pedantry>
Etymology
</pedantry>

 

[johnnyG]

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