身寄(みよ)り

みより
noun
relative; relation; next of kin
family
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(みよ)りのない老人(ろうじん)が増(ふ)えている。
The number of elderly people with no relatives is increasing.
この町(まち)には身寄(みよ)りが一人(ひとり)もいない。
I have not a single relative in this town.
身寄(みよ)りのない子(こ)どもたちのために施設(しせつ)が設(もう)けられた。
A facility was established for children with no family to rely on.

Usage

身寄(みよ)り is most commonly used in the pattern 身寄(みよ)りのない (without relatives, without anyone to depend on). It is rarely used in positive contexts like "having many relatives."

Common collocations

Similar words

親戚(しんせき) is the general word for relatives and is used in neutral or positive contexts. 身寄(みよ)り specifically implies someone one can depend on and is typically used when describing the absence of such support.

Related Words

Synonym: 親戚(しんせき) (relatives (general))
general
Added 2026.3.9 19:27 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
16000/16051_miyori