Chinese word

后裔

Pronunciation

Pinyinhòu yì

Meaning

  • noundescendant

Example

他自称是名将的后裔。tā zì chēng shì míng jiàng de hòu yì

He claims to be a descendant of a famous general.

Illustration for 后裔 (descendant)

More examples

这座家族墓碑上刻着许多王室后裔的名字。zhè zuò jiā zú mù bēi shàng kè zhe xǔ duō wáng shì hòu yì de míng zì

The names of many royal descendants are carved on this family gravestone.

Core concept

People who carry an ancestral family line into later generations.

Common phrases

  • 直系后裔zhí xì hòu yì

    direct descendant

  • 王室后裔wáng shì hòu yì

    royal descendant

  • 民族后裔mín zú hòu yì

    ethnic descendant

Similar words

子孙zǐ sūn: The children, grandchildren, or later family members of an ancestor.
后代hòu dài: Later generations that follow an earlier generation in time.

Definition in Chinese

指从先辈延续下来的子孙，位于时间上较晚的一代或多代。zhǐ cóng xiān bèi yán xù xià lái de zǐ sūn wèi yú shí jiān shàng jiào wǎn de yí dài huò duō dài

Word origin

后 (hòu, "later") + 裔 (yì, "hem") links later generations with the far end of a family line, since 裔 later developed from "hem" to mean descendants.

Usage tips

  • The word often appears in genealogy, historical writing, and formal ancestry claims, where its bookish tone suits records and narratives.

Opposites

Word lists with this word