Japanese word

代々

Pronunciation

Romajidaidai

この技術は代々受け継がれています。ko no gi jutsu wa dai dai u ke tsu ga re te i ma su

This skill has been passed down from generation to generation.

この店は代々家族で営まれています。ko no mise wa dai dai ka zoku de itona ma re te i ma su

This shop has been run by the family for generations.

Describes something continuing through successive generations as each generation passes it to the next.

世世seisei: Describes something lasting across many successive generations.

先代から後代へと、何世代にもわたって続くさま。sen dai ka ra kō dai e to nan se dai ni mo wa ta tte tsuzu ku sa ma

代々 (daidai) is formed by repeating 代 (dai, "generation"), giving it the sense of generation after generation.

For English speakers, 代々 (daidai) is more specific than "for a long time" because it implies continuity across successive generations.