noun
stepchild; child from a previous marriage
Refers to a child one brings into a new marriage, i.e., a stepchild. Neutral term, commonly used in family contexts.
彼女は連れ子を二人連れて再婚した。
She remarried, bringing two children from her previous marriage.
連れ子との関係を築くのは時間がかかる。
Building a relationship with a stepchild takes time.
Alternate kanji spelling, less common.
継子 also means stepchild but can carry a nuance of being a child from a spouse's previous marriage, and sometimes appears in literary or traditional contexts. 連れ子 is more neutral and common in modern speech.
Compound of 連れ (tsure, 'accompanying') + 子 (ko, 'child'). Literally 'accompanying child', referring to a child brought into a new family.