親 戚(しんせき)

しんせき

noun

relative, relation

formallegal

1. relative, relation, kin

A person connected by blood or marriage to one's family.

親戚(しんせき)がお正月(しょうがつ)に集(あつ)まった。

Our relatives gathered for New Year's.

遠(とお)い親戚(しんせき)が突然(とつぜん)訪(たず)ねてきた。

A distant relative suddenly came to visit.

彼女(かのじょ)は私(わたし)の親戚(しんせき)にあたる。

She is a relative of mine.

～にあたる means 'to be equivalent to' or 'to be related as'

親戚(しんせき) includes relatives by blood and marriage.

Common expressions

親戚(しんせき)付(づ)き合(あ)い (interacting with relatives)
遠(とお)い親戚(しんせき) (distant relative)
近(ちか)い親戚(しんせき) (close relative)
親戚(しんせき)にあたる (to be a relative)
親戚(しんせき)一同(いちどう) (all the relatives)

Similar words

親戚(しんせき): relatives (general term)
親族(しんぞく): relatives (more formal, legal term)
身内(みうち): family members, close relatives

Related Words

Related: 家族(かぞく) (family)

Synonym: 親類(しんるい) (relatives (formal))

Synonym: 親族(しんぞく) (relatives (formal, legal))

Synonym: 身寄(みよ)り (someone to rely on)

Compare: 身内(みうち) (family members, close relatives)

Compare: 近縁(きんえん) (closely related)

Compare: 姻戚(いんせき) (relative by marriage)

Compare: はとこ (second cousin)

Compare: 縁者(えんじゃ) (relatives)

general

Added 2026.1.12 9:55 · Revised 2026.9.2 12:02

03000/03260_shinseki