the four Fujiwara families; Fujiwara clan
Historical term referring to the four main branches of the Fujiwara clan that dominated the Heian period court: the Nanke, Hokke, Shikike, and Kyōke. Used in historical contexts.
The four Fujiwara families held great power at the imperial court from the Nara period through the Heian period.
藤原氏 is the broader Fujiwara clan, while 藤原四家 specifically refers to its four main branches.
藤原 (Fujiwara) + 四 (four) + 家 (families). The term refers to the four main branches of the Fujiwara clan that emerged in the early Heian period.