1.
bereaved family; surviving family members
The family members left behind after someone dies. Used in formal, news, and legal contexts.
遺族にお悔やみを申し上げた。
I offered my condolences to the bereaved family.
遺族が記者会見で心境を語った。
The bereaved family spoke about their feelings at a press conference.
事故の遺族に対する補償が十分でないと批判されている。
The compensation for the families of accident victims has been criticized as insufficient.
遺族 is a formal noun used primarily in news reporting, legal documents, and official contexts. It specifically refers to the family of someone who has died.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 遺族年金 (survivor's pension)
- 遺族補償 (compensation for bereaved families)
- 遺族の気持ち (the feelings of the bereaved family)
- 戦没者遺族 (families of war dead)
USAGE NOTES:
This word is frequently encountered in news reports about accidents, disasters, and crimes. In legal contexts, 遺族 has a specific meaning as those entitled to inheritance or compensation.