Japanese word

親戚

Pronunciation

Romajishinseki

Meaning

  • nounrelative

Example

親戚と食事をします。shin seki to shoku ji o shi ma su

I will have a meal with a relative.

Illustration for 親戚 (relative)

More examples

冬休みに親戚に会います。fuyu yasu mi ni shin seki ni a i ma su

I meet my relatives during winter break.

遠くに住む親戚から手紙が届きました。tō ku ni su mu shin seki ka ra te gami ga todo ki ma shi ta

A letter arrived from a relative who lives far away.

Core concept

親戚 (shinseki) refers to a person linked to someone through family ties by birth or marriage.

Common phrases

  • 親戚に会うshin seki ni a u

    meet a relative

  • 親戚と話すshin seki to hana su

    talk with a relative

  • 親戚の家shin seki no ie

    a relative's house

  • 親戚を訪ねるshin seki o tazu ne ru

    visit a relative

Similar words

親族shinzoku: A formal term for a person connected through family ties by birth or marriage.
親類shinrui: A family relation, often referring to someone outside the immediate family.
身内miuchi: A person's own family or close family relations.

Definition in Japanese

血縁や婚姻によってつながりのある人やその集まり。ketsu en ya kon in ni yo tte tsu na ga ri no a ru hito ya so no atsu ma ri

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese compound 親戚 (shinseki) combines 親 (shin, "parent or close") and 戚 (seki, "relative").

Usage tips

  • English relative can describe either a family connection or a comparison, but 親戚 (shinseki) is used only for a family connection.

Word lists with this word