跡あと継つぎ

あ

と

つ

ぎ

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

heir; inheritor

Refers to a person who inherits a family business, estate, or tradition. Often used in contexts of family succession.

彼かれは老舗旅館しにせりょかんの跡あと継つぎとして育そだてられた。
He was raised as the heir to the long-established inn.
社しゃ長ちょうは息子むすこを跡あと継つぎに指し名めいした。
The president named his son as his successor.

2

Broader than 'heir'; can refer to anyone who takes over a role, position, or work, not necessarily family-related.

彼かれは引いん退たいする教きょう授じゅの跡あと継つぎとして迎むかえられた。
He was brought in as the successor to the retiring professor.

See all 14 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉の跡あと継つぎになるto become the heir/successor of (a business, family, etc.)
彼かれは家か業ぎょうの跡あと継つぎになることを決きめた。
He decided to become the heir to the family business.
跡あと継つぎがいないto have no heir/successor
この店みせには跡あと継つぎがいなくて、閉へい店てんを考かんがえている。
This shop has no heir, so they're thinking of closing.
跡あと継つぎを育そだてるto train/raise a successor
社しゃ長ちょうは自じ分ぶんの跡あと継つぎを育そだてることに力ちからを入いれている。
The president is putting effort into training his successor.
〈人ひと〉を跡あと継つぎに指し名めいするto name someone as one's heir/successor
祖そ父ふは長ちょう男なんを跡あと継つぎに指し名めいした。
My grandfather named his eldest son as his heir.

Kanji

跡tracks, mark, print
継inherit, succeed, continue
後behind, back, later

Related words

後こう継けい者しゃ sense 2
後継者 is a formal, often abstract term used in business or political succession, while 跡継ぎ carries a more personal, familial nuance of inheriting a household or trade.
相そう続ぞく人にん sense 1
相続人 is a strict legal term for who inherits property or assets under inheritance law, whereas 跡継ぎ focuses on taking over a family role or business rather than legal entitlement.
世よ継つぎ sense 1
世継ぎ is a slightly classical word most often used for heirs to a throne or noble house, while 跡継ぎ is the everyday term for heirs to any family business or tradition.
継つぎ
跡継ぎ specifically means the heir who will carry on a family or business, while 継ぎ alone is a broader, less specific word for a successor.
嫡ちゃく子し
跡継ぎ is the everyday word for a successor to a family, business, or position, while 嫡子 is a more formal/legal term stressing legitimate birth.

Built from

跡あと+継つぐ

Written forms

跡あと継つぎUsage63%
Standard kanji spelling; 跡 means 'trace' or 'remains', 継ぎ means 'succession'.
後あと継つぎUsage24%
Variant using 後 (after, later); less common but still seen.
あとつぎUsage11%
跡あと継つぎUsage1%
Abbreviated form without okurigana; mainly in older or compact writing.
アトツギUsage1%
後あと継つぎ
Abbreviated variant using 後; rare and may be confused with 後継 (こうけい).

Etymology

Compound of 跡 (ato, 'trace, remains') and 継ぎ (tsugi, 'succession'), from the verb 継ぐ (tsugu, 'to succeed'). Literally 'succession of the traces'.