The Meaning of souzoku [相続] In Japanese

相続
そうぞく
Romaji: souzoku N2

What does 相続 mean?

Translation and Meaning

inheritance, succession

Definition

相続 means inheritance; it refers to the legal mechanism by which heirs receive the decedent’s assets and assume related obligations under Japanese civil law.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • In the legal sense, the transfer of assets, rights, and obligations from a deceased person to heirs according to civil law and wills.
  • The act of succession or continuation of a family or business line through heirs or designated successors.
  • In everyday legal discussions, the term often appears in phrases like 相続税 or 相続人 to denote tax and heirs respectively.

Etymology

on’yomi readings: sō + zoku; a Sino-Japanese compound combining components that convey mutual relation and continuation, which merged into the modern legal term for passing assets and rights to heirs.

Origin

Introduced into Japanese civil law during the modern era, with the Meiji government’s codification of the Civil Code (late 19th century), drawing on earlier Chinese legal concepts that influenced Japanese estate and succession practices.

Composition

  • 相: mutual, in relation to
  • 続: to continue or follow

Usage

Used in formal legal, financial, and governmental contexts to refer to the transfer of assets to heirs; appears in wills, probate filings, civil-code discussions, and tax planning; used with related terms such as 相続税 and 相続人.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: picture two people facing each other passing a baton, with the second kanji suggesting a chain of generations continuing; the idea of passing assets to the next generation helps recall that 相続 means inheritance.

Variations

  • 継承 (keishō) – keishō, inheritance or succession, used in legal and everyday contexts
  • 相続人 (sozokunin) – sozokunin, heirs
  • 遺産相続 (isan sozoku) – isan sozoku, inheritance of an estate

Example Phrases

  • 相続の手続きで、書類を揃える必要がある。
    Sōzoku no tetsuzuki de, shorui o soroeru hitsuyō ga aru.
    We need to gather the documents for the inheritance procedures.
    Lista:
    • 相続 (sōzoku) – inheritance
    • の (no) – of
    • 手続き (tetsuzuki) – procedure
    • で (de) – in
    • 書類 (shorui) – documents
    • を (o) – object marker
    • 揃える (soroeru) – to gather
    • 必要 (hitsuyō) – necessary
    • が (ga) – subject marker
    • ある (aru) – there is
    In this sentence, 「相続」 is a noun meaning inheritance; 「の」 links it to 「手続き」 to form ‘inheritance procedures’; 「で」 marks the context of the action.
相続