noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun
parentless; orphaned
Describes a child or young person who has lost one or both parents. Often used attributively with の, as in 親なしの子.
彼は親なしの子として施設で育った。
He grew up in an institution as a parentless child.
親なしの子供たちを支援する団体がある。
There is an organization that supports parentless children.
noun
orphan; parentless child
Refers specifically to a child without parents. The compound 親無し子 (おやなしご) is a common synonym.
See also: 親無し子 (おやなしご)
戦争で多くの親なしが生まれた。
The war produced many orphans.
孤児 is a more formal or literary term for orphan, often used in official contexts, while 親なし is a plain, descriptive word.
親無し子 is a compound noun meaning 'orphan', essentially synonymous with the second sense of 親なし but more explicit.
Compound of 親 (oya, 'parent') and なし (nashi, 'without'). The spelling 親無し uses the kanji 無 for the negative element.