English
kohai
Kohai comes from Japanese 後輩 ‘someone born later, junior member of a group,…’.
- Japanesemodern後輩‘someone born later, junior member of a group, kohai’
- Englishearliest quotation 1974kohai
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Japanesemodern後輩‘someone born later, junior member of a group, kohai’
- Englishearliest quotation 1974kohai
Earliest quotation: 1974, Thomas P. Rohlen, University of California Press: “Juniors may forget their obligation to be in turn…”
The story
Borrowed from Japanese 後(こう)輩(はい) (kōhai, literally “later cohort”).
Every English word from Japanese 後輩
Today it means
noun A junior member of a group in Japanese arts; mentee.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Japanese 後輩 / kohai