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issei

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Is⋅sei

[ees-sey]
–noun, plural -sei.
1. a Japanese 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.
Also, issei.
Compare Kibei, Nisei, Sansei.


Origin:
1935–40; < Japn, equiv. to is first + sei generation (earlier it-sei, it-seĩ < MChin, equiv. to Chin one + shēng birth)
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To issei
is·sei   (ēs'sā')   
n.   pl. issei or is·seis
A Japanese immigrant, especially one to the United States.

[Japanese : ichi, one, first (from Middle Chinese jit) + sei, generation (from Middle Chinese shiaj).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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