kinship

/ˈkɪnʃɪp/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkɪnʃɪp/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkin-ˌship/ (ame, mw)

kinship — noun

1. the connection that exists between people who share a family bond, whether throu

1.名詞B2
釋義

the connection that exists between people who share a family bond, whether through birth, marriage, or adoption

例句

The close kinship among the Watanabe family kept them unified during the crisis.

kinship + among + family group

Anthropologists study kinship systems to understand how different cultures define family relationships.

kinship + noun: kinship systems

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

possessive + kinship (with + noun phrase)

kinship + noun

用法筆記

Uncountable noun — you cannot say 'a kinship' when referring to family ties in general, though 'a kinship' is possible for the figurative sense (sense 2). Common in academic contexts (anthropology, sociology) and everyday family talk.

常見錯誤

❌We have a close kinship with my uncle's family.
✅We have close kinship ties with my uncle's family.
💡Add 'ties' or 'bond' when specifying a connection; 'kinship' alone is uncountable in this sense.
❌He is my kinship.
✅He is my relative.
💡'Kinship' describes the relationship, not the person.

2. a sense of emotional closeness or shared identity that you feel toward someone o

2.名詞C1
釋義

a sense of emotional closeness or shared identity that you feel toward someone or something, often because of common experiences, values, or origins

例句

Walking through her grandparents' village, Elena felt a deep kinship with the generations before her.

feel + a kinship + with + noun phrase (place/people)

The two novelists discovered an unexpected kinship rooted in their shared experience of exile.

discover + kinship + rooted in

同義詞
  • affinity

    almost identical in meaning; slightly more intellectual/formal

  • closeness

    less formal; broader range of relationships

  • bond

    emphasises mutual attachment; works for both emotional and social ties

  • connection

    more general; weaker emotional charge

反義詞
  • alienation

    feeling distant or separated from someone or something

  • estrangement

    specifically describes loss of former closeness

文法句型

a kinship + with + noun phrase

kinship + between + noun phrase

用法筆記

Can be used with the indefinite article ('a kinship'), unlike sense 1. The preposition 'with' is more common than 'between', though both are acceptable. Subject is usually a person or a group of people; occasionally used with animals or places.

常見錯誤

❌I have kinship with her because we like the same music.' (trivial reason)
✅I felt a kinship with her because we both grew up in single-parent households.
💡This sense requires a meaningful basis for the emotional connection.
❌The kinship between the two friends was strong.' (acceptable but vague)
✅The kinship between the two friends grew from years of shared hardship.
💡Add context explaining why the bond exists.