正せい嫡ちゃく

also: せいてき

せ

い

ちゃ

く

Meanings

legal wife; legitimate child; main family line

Historical term referring to the primary wife, her offspring, or the legitimate lineage in a family or clan. Rare in modern everyday language; mostly encountered in historical or literary contexts.

正せい嫡ちゃくの子ことして、彼かれは家か督とくを継つぐことが決きまっていた。
As the child of the legal wife, he was destined to inherit the family headship.
歴れき史し書しょには、正せい嫡ちゃくと側そく室しつの区く別べつが明めい確かくに記しるされている。
In historical records, the distinction between the legal wife and concubines is clearly noted.

Kanji

正correct, justice, righteous
嫡legitimate wife, direct descent (non-bastard)

Related words

嫡ちゃく子し
嫡子 specifically means 'legitimate child' (heir), while 正嫡 can refer to the legal wife, her child, or the main family line.
正せい室しつ
正室 is a more common term for 'legal wife' in historical contexts, whereas 正嫡 is rarer and can also encompass the child or lineage.

Written forms

正嫡Usage100%
- せいちゃく
  Standard kanji spelling for the primary reading.
- せいてき
  Alternate reading; less common and may be considered archaic or specialized.
せいてき

Etymology

Compound of 正 (correct, legitimate) and 嫡 (legitimate wife/child). The reading せいちゃく is the standard on'yomi combination; せいてき is an alternate on'yomi reading for 嫡.