What is Senpai:
The term senpai of Japanese origin means guide or friend from before. Normally it refers to the colleague with the most seniority compared to the new member of an organization, so he or she has more knowledge and experience.
As such, the senpai It is an expression used to refer respectfully to an older or more experienced person. It is a very common form of treatment in schools, associations, jobs and even in sports clubs.
He senpai It is characterized by being the person with the greatest experience, hierarchy and knowledge within the organization who provides help or advice in their functions to the new member.
In consideration of the above, the new or inexperienced member is called kohaiwho must show interest, respect and gratitude to the senpai for the help offered to achieve good performance in their duties. Frequently, the senpai assume some type of responsibility in relation to the kohaias if he were a mentor.
Without a doubt, the relationship between senpai-kohai It is rigid and disciplined, which often entails a social barrier that distinguishes the two roles.
However, currently the relationship has relaxed its nature. This is due to the departure of Japanese people abroad for reasons of study or work, which has resulted in the detachment of their own culture and the country’s customs.
Senpai in martial arts
Within the martial arts, the senpai It has a set of honors and privileges such as:
He senpai He must be respected by his other companions, since he can be seen as the sensei’s right hand. senpai has the privilege of taking care of the altar, and ensuring that all the elements are in perfect condition. In case of the absence of the senseihe senpai He is in charge of performing the beginning greeting, the class, and the final greeting of the class.
Regarding this relationship, it is quite common for the beginning individual to call senpai to the other individual who has a degree of superiority due to his years of experiences and studies; but this rarely happens the other way around, since it is seen in a pejorative way, as an insult or humiliation, by reminding the other that they are an inferior being.
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Senpai in companies
In the business environment, this relationship of senpai-kohai It is rigid, and meets certain labels, which can be mentioned as follows:
In work meetings, the senpai He must be sitting next to some important guest; on the other hand the kohai He is located in the seat closest to the door. The lowest-ranking employee should not express an opinion unless he has the consent of the employees superior to him, otherwise, he should only listen to and support his superior colleague.
“Notice me senpai”
The expression in English notice me senpai means“watch me senpai”, and had its origin in manga and anime designs. This expression alludes to the need for approval that some individuals need from older or superior individuals.
This phrase is very common in schools, where the student or kohai falls in love with another student considered as senpai and deeply wants to get your attention. In fact, the expression and its use have originated several memes on the Internet.