Definition
子孙 (zǐ sūn) refers to all descendants across generations, like 'offspring' or 'posterity' in a broad, often ancestral sense. It is more formal and collective than 子女 (children, your own sons and daughters) or 孙子/孙女 (specific grandchildren). 后代 and 后人 are close synonyms, but 子孙 emphasizes blood lineage through sons and grandsons.
noun
offspringposteritydescendants
Examples
- 子孙。Zǔxiān liú xià de yíchǎn yīnggāi yóu zǐ sūn jìchéng.The legacy left by ancestors should be inherited by their descendants.
- 子孙，。Wèile zǐ sūn de wèilái, wǒmen bìxū bǎohù huánjìng.For the future of our posterity, we must protect the environment.
- ，子孙。Jiāzú xīngwàng, zǐ sūn mǎn táng.The family prospers, and the hall is full of offspring.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.