宗そう家け

also: そうか

そ

う

け

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

head of family; head house

Refers to the main family line or its head, especially in traditional contexts like martial arts, tea ceremony, or other hereditary schools.

彼かれは茶さ道どうの宗そう家けの長ちょう男なんです。
He is the eldest son of the head family of the tea ceremony.

noun

sōke; founder of a style; originator

Often used as a title for the founder or grand master of a traditional art, martial art, or school. The term sōke is sometimes used in English to refer to this role.

この流りゅう派はの宗そう家けは代だい々だい、技わざを伝つたえてきた。
The sōke of this school has passed down the techniques for generations.

See all 11 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉の宗そう家けthe head/main family of a particular art or tradition
茶さ道どうの宗そう家けとして知しられている。
He is known as the head of the tea ceremony school.
宗そう家けを継つぐto succeed as the head of the family/school
彼かれは父ちちの死後しごご、宗そう家けを継ついだ。
After his father's death, he succeeded as head of the family.
宗そう家けとしてin the capacity of the head of the family/school
彼かの女じょは宗そう家けとして弟で子したちを指し導どうしている。
She guides her disciples in her role as head of the school.

Kanji

宗religion, sect, denomination
家house, home, family

Related words

家いえ元もと
家元 is often used interchangeably with 宗家 for the head of a traditional school, but 家元 can also refer to the entire system of hereditary succession in arts.
本ほん家け sense 1
本家 refers broadly to the main house within a family lineage, while 宗家 is used specifically for the head house of a hereditary art, martial art, or school.

Opposites

分ぶん家け sense 1
分家 is a branch family that has split off from the main line, the opposite of 宗家, the head family that others branch from.

Don't confuse with

宗しゅう派は
宗派 refers to a religious sect or denomination, while 宗家 refers to the head family or founder's line of a traditional art or school; the shared 宗 kanji causes confusion.

Written forms

宗家Usage98%
- そうけ
  Standard kanji spelling; the reading そうけ is the most common.
- そうか
  rarely-used kana form
  Rarely used reading; it is rarely used kana form.
そうけUsage2%
そうか
rarely-used kana form

Etymology

Composed of 宗 (sect, origin) and 家 (house, family). The term originally referred to the main lineage of a clan or religious sect, later extended to the head of traditional arts.