Roshi

Roshi — overview of meaning, background and key points, with links to related topics for context.

Roshi (老師) is a Japanese word, common in Zen Buddhism, meaning “old” (ro) and “teacher” (shi). Roshi can be used as a term of respect, as in the Rinzai school; as a simple reference to actual age, as in the Soto school; or it can mean a teacher who has transmitted knowledge to, and thus “given birth” to, a new teacher.

The equivalent Chinese term, lǎoshi (simplified: 老师) is used in modern Chinese in a much more limited sense, normally meaning simply an ordinary teacher.