also: ばつりゅう
noun
descendants; later generations
Refers to the descendants of a family, lineage, or school. Often used in historical or genealogical contexts.
彼はあの有名な武将の末流だと言われている。
He is said to be a descendant of that famous warlord.
この流派の末流は今も伝統を守っている。
The later generations of this school still preserve the tradition.
子孫 is the common word for descendants or offspring, while 末流 emphasizes the later or distant generations of a specific lineage or school.
Compound of 末 (end, later) and 流 (flow, lineage). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji combination naturally conveys the idea of later branches of a lineage.