patriarch; male head of a family
Refers to the male head of a family or household, often in a traditional or historical context. Also used in discussions of patriarchy.
家父長制度は、父親が家族の長として権力を持つ家族形態です。
The patriarchal system is a family structure in which the father holds authority as the head of the family.
Compound of 家父 (father of the family) and 長 (head, chief). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is conventionally associated with the concept of a male family head.