輩 means “fellows, rank, generation”

はい · hai

Also: comrade, fellow, people, companions

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

やから, やかい, ともがら

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ハイ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 15 strokes

The story

A cart (車) under 非: the Shuowen says a hundred war chariots setting out together made one 輩, a rank. Now it ranks people: 先輩 is your senior at school or work, 後輩 your junior, a bond Japanese clubs and offices take seriously.

Used in 先輩 (senpai, senior), 後輩 (kouhai, junior), and 同輩 (douhai, peer/equal)

More from Who's Who

• 紳 gentleman
• 奴 guy
• 誰 who
• 俺 I (male, casual)
• 嬢 young lady
• 翁 venerable old man
• 某 a certain
• 婆 old woman
• 侶 companion
• 我 I
• 己 self
• 僕 I (male)

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.