親 戚(しんせき)

しんせき

noun

relative, relation

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(おしょうがつ)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)

COMPARISON:

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)

general

Added 2026.1.12 9:55 · Revised 2026.5.25 4:07

03000/03260_shinseki