(いさん)

いさん
noun
heritage; inheritance; legacy
1. inheritance; estate; bequest
Property, money, or assets left behind by a deceased person to be distributed to heirs.
遺産(いさん)相続(そうぞく)する。
To inherit an estate.
(ちち)遺産(いさん)兄弟(きょうだい)()けた。
We divided our father's inheritance among the siblings.
遺産(いさん)相続(そうぞく)をめぐって親族間(しんぞくかん)(あらそ)いが()きることも(すく)なくない。
It is not uncommon for disputes to arise among relatives over inheritance.
2. heritage; legacy
Something of cultural, historical, or intellectual value passed down from previous generations.
世界(せかい)遺産(いさん)登録(とうろく)された。
It was registered as a World Heritage site.
この建物(たてもの)貴重(きちょう)文化(ぶんか)遺産(いさん)だ。
This building is a valuable cultural heritage.
先人(せんじん)たちが(のこ)した知的(ちてき)遺産(いさん)(つぎ)世代(せだい)(つた)えていくことが大切(たいせつ)だ。
It is important to pass on the intellectual legacy left by our predecessors to the next generation.

遺産(いさん) covers both the legal concept of inheritance and the broader concept of cultural heritage.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 遺産(いさん)相続(そうぞく) (inheritance)
  • 世界(せかい)遺産(いさん) (World Heritage)
  • 文化(ぶんか)遺産(いさん) (cultural heritage)
  • 自然(しぜん)遺産(いさん) (natural heritage)
  • ()遺産(いさん) (negative legacy)

The compound 世界(せかい)遺産(いさん) (World Heritage) is extremely common in Japanese media and travel contexts. Japan has numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites. ()遺産(いさん) (negative legacy) is used to describe harmful things inherited from the past, such as environmental damage or debt.