noun
dependents; family members one must support
Refers to people one is responsible for financially or socially, such as children or elderly parents. Often used in formal or legal contexts.
彼は係累が多くて、生活が大変だ。
He has many dependents, so life is tough.
係累を養うために必死に働いている。
He works desperately to support his dependents.
noun
encumbrances; things that tie one down
Figurative extension: burdens or obligations that restrict one's freedom, not necessarily people. Less common than the literal sense.
借金が係累となって、自由に旅行できない。
Debts have become an encumbrance, preventing me from traveling freely.
扶養家族 specifically means 'dependent family members' in a legal or tax context, while 係累 is a broader, more formal term that can include non-family dependents or figurative burdens.
足かせ literally means 'fetters' and is a common metaphor for something that hinders progress. 係累 is more formal and often implies a social or familial obligation.
The kanji 係 means 'connection' or 'involvement', and 累 means 'accumulate' or 'trouble'. Together they suggest people or things that are tied to one and become a burden. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.