noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
hereditary; handed down from generation to generation
Often used for tangible items, traditions, or skills passed down within a family. Carries a formal, somewhat literary tone.
This sword is a family heirloom handed down from generation to generation.
They continue to preserve the skills passed down through the family.
先祖代々 is more common in everyday speech and emphasizes continuity over many generations, while 父祖伝来 is more formal and often refers to a specific inherited object or tradition.
A yojijukugo composed of 父祖 (ancestors) and 伝来 (transmission). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the compound follows a common pattern for expressing hereditary transmission.