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In Japan, is an upperclassman or upperclasswoman, someone of a higher age, or senior and 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''. A junior student will often refer to elder and more high class students as ''senpai'', and alumni will often refer to alumni from earlier classes as ''senpai''. This holds true particularly if events bring them together later on, such as joining the same company, serving on a board together, or simply being in a club or parent's organization at the same time. On rare occasions, a younger person may also be considered the ''senpai'' of an elder person if circumstances dictate—such as if the elder entered an organization or company at a later time than the younger did. == Social roles == In Japanese school sports clubs, such as baseball teams, the ''kōhai'' are usually expected to perform various menial tasks for the ''senpai'' including washing clothes and cleaning. The ''kōhai'' may not be allowed to play the sport at all or have only limited opportunities to do so until they become ''senpai''. More than simple seniority, ''senpai'' implies a relationship with reciprocal obligations, somewhat similar to a mentoring relationship. A ''kōhai'' is expected to respect and obey their ''senpai'', and the ''senpai'' in turn must guide, protect, and teach their kōhai as best they can. ''Senpai'' / ''kōhai'' relationships generally last for as long as the two people concerned stay in contact, even if the original context in which the ''senpai'' was senior is no longer relevant. In Japanese martial arts, the term ''senpai'' generally refers to senior level students who hold a black belt. They are expected to assist the sensei with younger or less experienced students. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Senpai and kōhai」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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