Issei

American  

[ees-sey] / ˈisˈseɪ /

Or issei

noun

Issei, plural issei plural

1. a Japanese person who immigrated to the U.S. or Canada after 1907 and was not eligible until 1952 for citizenship.

2. any Japanese immigrant to the U.S.

---

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• issei
  plural
• Issei
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Issei

1935–40; < Japanese, equivalent to is first + sei generation (earlier it-sei, it-seĩ < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese yì one + shēng birth)

Example Sentences

Abe noted that he might have finished his second novel, about the Issei — the first generation of Japanese American immigrants.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 21, 2023

Some of the Issei, first generation Japanese immigrants, and Nisei kept their experience in the camps a secret as they didn't want to pass on painful memories to the next generations.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2022

At home, the Nishios were active in the Pasadena Union Presbyterian Church, founded by Issei in 1913.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2019

I’d also include Issei Ogata for Scorsese’s Silence; the film may be flawed, but he is note-perfect.

From The Guardian • Jan. 29, 2017

They were all Issei, and he was one of the few fluent in Japanese and English.

From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston