How to Say ‘Doctor’ in Japanese
先生
sensei
[sen-say]
💬 Usage Tip: In hospitals, [先生] usually means the doctor. Patients often say [先生、お願いします] to get the doctor’s attention politely.
🇯🇵 In Japan: Calling a doctor [先生] is standard in Japan (it also means teacher). Using [先生] sounds respectful and natural.
Phrase Breakdown
先生
sensei
[sen-say]
doctor; (also) teacher
In a clinic/hospital, 先生 is a polite way to address the doctor. (It can also mean “teacher,” but in medical contexts it usually means “doctor.”)
先生、検査結果を説明してください。
Doctor, please explain the test results.
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