senpai

Senpai means an older or more experienced person, like an upperclassman or a senior colleague. In internet slang, it’s also someone you admire and hope will notice you, as in the meme “I hope senpai will notice me.”

What senpai means

In Japanese schools, clubs and workplaces, a senpai is someone senior to you who often guides you, while you are their kōhai, or junior. Dictionary.com defines senpai as a senior or experienced person who mentors someone less experienced, and also as an older high school student.

Online, the word took on a crush-like meaning thanks to anime, where a younger character often admires an older student from afar.

“Notice me, senpai”

The catchphrase “I hope senpai will notice me” jokes about desperately wanting the attention of someone you look up to. According to Know Your Meme, it appeared on Tumblr in August 2012 and took off in early 2014 after YouTuber PewDiePie posted a compilation of himself saying it. Today people use “notice me, senpai” for anyone whose approval they want, from a crush to a celebrity.

Examples

• “He finally liked my post. Senpai noticed me!”
• “She’s my senpai at work, she trained me on everything.”
• “Notice me, senpai,” (commenting on a favourite artist’s post)
• “The club senpai always buys the snacks.”

Where senpai comes from

Senpai is a standard Japanese word, usually written in English as “senpai” or “sempai.” The senior–junior relationship it describes is a big part of Japanese school and work culture, according to Wikipedia. The English slang sense spread through anime fandoms and memes.

Related terms

• Tsundere: cold outside, soft inside.
• Kawaii: cute.
• Weeb: an obsessive fan of Japanese culture.
• Simp: someone who tries too hard for someone they like.

Explore more in our anime slang dictionary.