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親類 (しんるい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N3 Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Meanings 1
noun
relative ; relation ; kin
General term for family members by blood or marriage, broader than 親戚 (しんせき) which often implies a wider network. Used in both formal and everyday contexts.
て
新しん
年ねん
を
祝いわ
っ
た
。
The relatives gathered to celebrate the New Year.
Kanji 親 parent, intimacy, relative Similar words 親しん 戚せき 親戚 is often used for a broader network of relatives, including in-laws and distant connections, while 親類 can feel slightly more direct or legal. In many contexts they are interchangeable.
家か 族ぞく 家族 refers specifically to one's immediate family (household members), whereas 親類 includes extended relatives.
Etymology Compound of 親 (しん, 'parent; intimate') and 類 (るい, 'kind; group'), literally 'parental group' or 'intimate kind', referring to those connected by blood or marriage.