noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun
ancestral; hereditary; handed down from generation to generation
Used as a noun or no-adjective to describe something that has been passed down within a family for many generations, such as property, traditions, or heirlooms.
This land has been handed down in our family for generations.
We keep the ancestral tradition that has been passed down for generations.
for generations; from generation to generation
Adverbial use describing an action or state that continues over many generations within a family.
This family has continued for generations.
I teach the skill that has been passed down from generation to generation.
世襲 refers to hereditary succession of a position or title, often in a formal or institutional context, while 先祖代々 is more about family inheritance in general.
Standard kanji spelling.
Variant with 代 repeated instead of the iteration mark 々. Less common in modern writing.
Compound of 先祖 (ancestor) and 代々 (for generations). The iteration mark 々 repeats the preceding kanji 代, so 代々 is equivalent to 代代.