血 縁(けつえん)

けつえん

noun

blood relation, kinship

1. blood relation, blood tie, kinship

A family connection through shared ancestry or biological descent, as opposed to connections through marriage or adoption.

二人(ふたり)には血縁(けつえん)関係(かんけい)がある。

The two are related by blood.

血縁(けつえん)のない子(こ)どもを自分(じぶん)の子(こ)として育(そだ)てた。

She raised a child with no blood relation as her own.

日本(にほん)の相続法(そうぞくほう)では、血縁(けつえん)関係(かんけい)の近(ちか)い親族(しんぞく)ほど相続(そうぞく)の優先順位(ゆうせんじゅんい)が高(たか)い。

In Japanese inheritance law, relatives with closer blood ties have higher priority in succession.

血縁(けつえん) refers to biological family connections through shared ancestry, as distinct from ties through marriage (姻戚(いんせき)) or adoption (養子縁組(ようしえんぐみ)).

Common collocations

血縁(けつえん)関係(かんけい): blood relationship
血縁(けつえん)者(しゃ): blood relative
血縁(けつえん)がある: to be related by blood
血縁(けつえん)がない: to have no blood relation
血縁(けつえん)の濃(こ)い: closely related by blood

Cultural note

In Japanese society, 血縁(けつえん) ties have traditionally been important for inheritance, the family register (戸籍(こせき)), and social obligations. The concept is particularly significant in legal contexts such as 相続(そうぞく) (inheritance).

Related words

親族(しんぞく): relatives (includes both blood and marriage)
血筋(ちすじ): bloodline, lineage
縁(えん): connection, bond (broader concept)

Related Words

Synonym: 血統(けっとう) (lineage, pedigree)

Related: 親族(しんぞく) (relatives (broader))

Related: 血筋(ちすじ) (bloodline, lineage)

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

general

Added 2026.2.27 19:10 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

14000/14035_ketsuen