noun
clan system; family system
Refers to a social structure based on clans or extended families, often in historical or anthropological contexts.
古代日本では氏族制度が社会の基盤だった。
In ancient Japan, the clan system was the foundation of society.
家族制度 refers to the nuclear or extended family system in general, while 氏族制度 specifically denotes a clan-based structure.
Compound of 氏族 (clan) + 制度 (system). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is used in academic and historical descriptions of clan-based societies.