Senpai is a Japanese word used to refer with respect to an older or more experienced person.
It is a very common form of treatment in the professional scope but also in schools, associations or sports clubs. For example, if a person has just been hired by a company, their older colleagues are treated as senpai.
the opposite of senpai it's the kohai (or kouhai), indicating someone who is a novice. Often, the senpai assume some kind of responsibility in relation to the kouhai, as if they were a mentor.
Find out more about the concept of mentoring.
It's quite common to hear someone younger calling another person senpai, however the opposite rarely happens. This is because calling someone from kouhai it is seen almost as an insult or humiliation, a reminder that the other is inferior.
In Japan, the relationship between senpais and kouhais it is quite rigid, with a very clear social barrier that distinguishes the two groups.
notice me senpai
In English, notice me senpai means "watch me senpai" and had its origins in anime and manga cartoons.
See also what it means mango.
This expression indicates the need for approval that many people have from older or superior elements. This phrase is very common in Japanese drawing schools, where a student (kouhai) falls in love with a student who is more experienced (senpai) and deeply want her love interest to look out for him/her.
This expression originated several memes on the internet.
Learn more about the meaning of meme.
