legitimate son; eldest son by the wife
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
legitimate son (born to the wife, as opposed to concubine's sons); specifically, the eldest legitimate son
archaicTraditional kinship term contrasting with 庶子 (sons of concubines). In traditional Chinese family law, the 嫡长子 held priority in inheritance and family succession.
Tā他
shì是
Wáng王
jiā家
de的
dí嫡
zǐ子
，
yǒu有
quán权
jì继
chéng承
jué爵
wèi位
。
He is the legitimate son of the Wang family and has the right to inherit the noble title.
Zài在
gǔ古
dài代
，
dí嫡
zǐ子
de的
dì地
wèi位
yuǎn远
gāo高
yú于
shù庶
zǐ子
。
In ancient times, the status of legitimate sons was far higher than that of sons of concubines.
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Dí嫡
cháng长
zǐ子
jì继
chéng承
zhì制
shì是
Zhōng中
guó国
gǔ古
dài代
zōng宗
fǎ法
zhì制
dù度
de的
hé核
xīn心
。
The primogeniture system of the eldest legitimate son was the core of the ancient Chinese patriarchal clan system.