先生
せんせい · sensei · JLPT N5 · noun
teacher
🍎 先生 = before (先) + born (生): one born before you, so your elder and guide
Etymology: 先 means ahead or earlier, 生 means to be born or to live. Someone born earlier has more experience, so the word became a title of respect for teachers, doctors, and masters. Sound hook: sen-say, the one whose say you listen to.
先 — 𠂉 (person variant) on top + 儿 (legs) below
先 originally depicted a person with a foot or step shown above the legs 儿, suggesting someone walking ahead. From this image of going before others came the meanings 'first,' 'earlier,' and 'ahead.' The modern shape preserves the 'legs' radical underneath.
生 — sprout 屮 above earth 土
Originally a pictograph showing a young plant sprouting from the ground, with 屮 (a sprout) above 土 (earth). The core meaning is 'to be born, to grow, to live,' which extends to 'raw, unripe, unfamiliar.' The modern form has simplified the sprout shape but preserves the image of new growth emerging from soil.