Senpai

Senpai (先輩) means 'senior/mentor', and is an important element in Japanese culture.

Much of Japanese society is built on seniority-based status relationships. Up through the school system and in workplaces, the status relationships are thus based on age or seniority, where one refers to each other as senpai (先輩) and kōhai (後輩) (respectively senior/junior).

Implicitly, the senpai/kōhai relationship holds great respect and humility towards the older and more 'knowing'