1.
stepchild
A child of one's spouse from a previous marriage or relationship. Not one's biological child.
2.
something treated unfairly or neglected
Figuratively, something that receives less favorable treatment compared to others, as in the expression 継子扱い (treated like a stepchild).
An old native Japanese word. まま means 'step-' (as in step-parent) and 子 means child. The prefix まま also appears in 継父 (stepfather) and 継母 (stepmother).
Etymology
The prefix まま is of ancient origin and is thought to derive from a word meaning 'not real' or 'substitute.' It predates Chinese-derived words for step-relations.
Common collocations
- 継子扱い: being treated unfairly, like a stepchild
- 継子いじめ: bullying of a stepchild
- 継子を育てる: to raise a stepchild
Similar words
- 連れ子: a child from a previous relationship — neutral, commonly used in modern contexts
- 養子: adopted child — a child formally adopted, not necessarily a stepchild
- 実子: biological child — one's own child by birth
Usage
In modern usage, 連れ子 is more commonly used than 継子 to refer to stepchildren without negative connotation. 継子 can carry undertones of the old fairy-tale motif of the mistreated stepchild, making it somewhat loaded.