1.
relative; relation; kin; someone to depend on
A person one can rely on, especially a family member or close relative. Most commonly used in negative expressions to describe someone who has no relatives or no one to turn to.
身寄りのない老人が増えている。
The number of elderly people with no relatives is increasing.
この町には身寄りが一人もいない。
I have not a single relative in this town.
身寄りのない子どもたちのために施設が設けられた。
A facility was established for children with no family to rely on.
USAGE:
身寄り is most commonly used in the pattern 身寄りのない (without relatives, without anyone to depend on). It is rarely used in positive contexts like "having many relatives."
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 身寄りのない人 (a person without relatives)
- 身寄りがない (to have no relatives)
- 身寄りを頼る (to rely on a relative)
SIMILAR WORDS:
親戚 is the general word for relatives and is used in neutral or positive contexts. 身寄り specifically implies someone one can depend on and is typically used when describing the absence of such support.