1.
advisor; consultant; counselor
A person who provides expert advice to an organization, company, or government body. Composed of 顧 (look back, take care of) + 問 (ask, question). In Japanese schools, also refers to the teacher who supervises a club or team.
Usage
In Japanese schools, every club (部活) must have a 顧問 — a teacher who supervises and sometimes coaches the club. This is a significant responsibility and a distinctive feature of the Japanese school system. In business, 顧問 often refers to a retired executive who remains in an advisory role.