跡継ぎ

• 読み: あとつぎ
• ローマ字: atotsugi
• 漢字の分解: 跡 (ato/seki) — trace, footsteps, remains; 継 (tsugi/kei) — inherit, succeed, continue
• 発音: /a.to.tsɯ.ɡi/

意味

Heir; inheritor. A person who succeeds to a family business, estate, or position.

A noun referring to someone designated to carry on a family line, business, or tradition. Strongly associated with Japanese cultural concepts of family succession, particularly for family-run businesses (家業), temples, and traditional arts. Unlike the broader English 'heir,' 跡継ぎ emphasizes continuity of role and responsibility rather than merely receiving wealth.

例文

1. 長男が家業の跡継ぎに決まった。
2. この旅館は跡継ぎがいなくて閉館するらしい。
3. 父は私に跡継ぎになってほしいと思っている。

使い方ガイド

場面: family, business, tradition

トーン: serious

起源と歴史

Compound of 跡 (ato, trace/footsteps) + 継ぎ (tsugi, from 継ぐ, to succeed/inherit). Literally 'one who follows in the footsteps' — the person who takes over after the predecessor.

文化的背景

時代: Traditional

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal