In Japan, senpai (先輩) is an upperclassman or upperclasswoman, someone of a higher age, or senior and kōhai (後輩) is a protégé or junior. The mentor system is found at all levels of education, and in sports clubs, businesses, and informal or social organizations. The relationship is an essential element of Japanese seniority-based status relationships, similar to the way that family and other relationships are decided based on age, in which even twins may be divided into elder and younger siblings.
The senpai is roughly equivalent to the Western concept of a mentor, while kōhai is roughly equivalent to protégé, though they do not imply as strong a relationship as these words mean in the West. More simply, these may be translated as senior and junior, or as an elder compared with someone younger in the family, company, or organization; the terms are used more widely than a true mentor/protégé in the West and are applied to all members of one group that are senior (the senpai) to all the members of another group (the kōhai). There is usually no average separation in age between a senpai and his or her kōhai.
It's amazing how you can
Speak right to my heart.
Without saying a word
You can light up the dark.
Try as i may i could never explain,
What i hear when you don't say a thing.
The smile on your face
Let's me know that you need me,
There's a truth in your eyes
Saying you'll never leave me
The touch of your hands
Says you'll catch me if ever i fall
Now you say it best...
When you say nothing at all.
All day long i can hear
People talking out loud.
But when you hold me near
You drown out the crowd.
Old Mr. Webster could never define
What's being said between your heart and mine.
The smile on your face
Lets me know that you need me
there's a truth in your eyes
Saying you'll never leave me
the touch of your hands
says you'll catch me if ever i fall
Now you say it best...
when you say nothing at all.
The smile on your face
Lets me know that you need me
there's a truth in your eyes
Saying you'll never leave me
the touch of your hands
says you'll catch me if ever i fall
Now you say it best...