先生 character etymology


先 looks like a teacher holding a pen, and 生 looks like a person sitting cross-
legged with a pen, learning. maybe the symbols together mean someone who
instructs someone else. Was this originally a Pictogram? just thought that was
cool...




Note that 先生 does not strictly mean "teacher". 先生 is used as a title toward
many types of superiours/leaders with some kind of expertise: teachers,
doctors, lawyers, politicians, even the pastor at my Christian church. See
[this link](https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/sensei/) for more information
about applicability.

> 先 - Means "previous" or "before"  
>  生 - Means "live" or "born"

It basically means someone who has lived through a certain skill/experience
more than you.

So no, as @sbkgs4686 linked in their comment, the etymology of the characters
has nothing to do with pens, and only that of 先 is even related to a person.

