親しん類るい

し

ん

る

い

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

General term for family members by blood or marriage, broader than 親戚 (しんせき) which often implies a wider network. Used in both formal and everyday contexts.

彼かれは私わたしの遠とおい親しん類るいです。
He is a distant relative of mine.
親しん類るいが集あつまって新しん年ねんを祝いわった。
The relatives gathered to celebrate the New Year.

See all 11 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉の親しん類るいにあたるto be related to someone (as a relative)
彼かれは私わたしの親しん類るいにあたる人ひとです。
He is a relative of mine.
親しん類るいを頼たよるto rely on one's relatives
困こまった時ときは親しん類るいを頼たよることにした。
When we were in trouble, we decided to rely on our relatives.
親しん類るいの家いえに泊とまるto stay over at a relative's house
夏なつ休やすみは親しん類るいの家いえに泊とまる予よ定ていだ。
I'm planning to stay at a relative's house during summer vacation.
親しん類るいが多おおいto have many relatives
私わたしの家いえは親しん類るいが多おおい。
My family has a lot of relatives.

Expressions

遠とおくの親しん類るいより近ちかくの他た人にんa neighbor is better than a distant relative

Kanji

親parent, intimacy, relative
類sort, kind, variety

Related words

親しん戚せきN4
親類 and 親戚 both mean 'relative,' but 親戚 tends to cover a wider or more distant network of relations while 親類 can sound slightly more direct or formal.
親しん族ぞくN1
親族 is the formal, often legal term for kin (as in inheritance law), while 親類 is the more everyday word for relatives.
家か族ぞくN5
家族 refers to one's immediate household family, while 親類 covers the wider circle of extended relatives.
身み寄よりN1
親類 is a slightly formal synonym for 'relatives' in general, whereas 身寄り stresses the presence or absence of someone to rely on.

Opposites

他た人にんN3
他人 means a stranger or unrelated person, the direct opposite of 親類 'relative.'

Word family

親しん類るい書がき
written record of one's relatives
親しん類るい縁えん者じゃ
relatives by blood and marriage; kith and kin
親しん類るい付づき合あい
associating with relatives; keeping in touch with relatives · family-like relationship; associating as if family

Etymology

Compound of 親 (しん, 'parent; intimate') and 類 (るい, 'kind; group'), literally 'parental group' or 'intimate kind', referring to those connected by blood or marriage.