素性・素姓・種姓・素生|すじょうsujou[0]heiban (flat)

1. nounbirth; lineage; parentage; origin
2. nounidentity; background; history; past
   ぜんぜん素性そせいの分わからない人間にんげんを軽々かるがるしく信用しんようしてはならぬ。↗

   Don't trust a man whose past you know nothing about.
3. nounprovenance; origin

• Synonym生まれうまれNeutralWhen and where you were born, or the family you were born into, as in 「東京生まれ」「良家の生まれ」; 「素性」 centers on one's origins and true identity.
• Synonym出自しゅつじWrittenWritten/formal term for where someone or something comes from, stressing origin; 「素性」 is the usual choice for a person's identity and background.
• Synonym家筋いえすじWrittenWritten/formal; means the same as 「家系」 but is seen less often.
• Synonym身元みもとNeutralWho someone is — used when identifying or verifying a person, as in 「身元不明」「身元を確認する」.
• Synonym氏素性うじすじょうWrittenWritten/formal word for family background; a synonym of 「素性」 that puts more weight on family standing.
• Related毛並みけなみNeutralLiterally the look of an animal's coat; colloquially, a figurative way to rate whether someone's background is good or bad, as in 「毛並みがいい」.
• Related血統けっとうWrittenWritten/formal word for bloodline, stressing descent from one's ancestors; also used for animal breeds, such as racehorses.
• Related家柄いえがらNeutralThe social standing and tone of a family; used to say someone comes from a good family, as in 「家柄がいい」.
• Related血筋ちすじNeutralBloodline, stressing the tie of blood, as in 「芸術家の血筋」; more colloquial than 「血統」.
• Related系統けいとうNeutralLineage stressing an unbroken line of descent; also covers systems in general, such as color families — uses 「素性」 doesn't have.
• Related家系かけいNeutralThe line a family passes down through the generations, as in 「医者の家系」; about the family line itself, not identity.
• Related系譜けいふWrittenWritten/formal: a genealogy or family tree, also the pedigree of a school of thought; leans toward the record itself.
• Related生い立ちおいたちNeutralHow someone grew up from childhood on — upbringing and early life, not bloodline; colloquial.
• RelatedルーツNeutralLoanword for roots: the origins of one's ancestors, or where a thing comes from.
• Related門地もんちWrittenWritten/formal and rare: a family's rank or standing, with an old-fashioned flavor.
• Related門閥もんばつWrittenWritten/formal and rare: the standing of distinguished old families; stresses pedigree of powerful houses.
• Related血脈けつみゃくWrittenWritten/formal: the bond of blood linking kin; in Buddhism, also the transmission of the teachings.

Use 「素性」 for a person's origins and true identity, as in 「素性を隠す」「素性の知れない人」. When the point is establishing who someone is, use 「身元」. For family standing say 「家柄」, for bloodline 「血筋」. Other lineage words: 「血統」 (formal; also animal breeds), 「家系」, 「家筋」, 「系統」, 「系譜」, 「血脈」, 「氏素性」. Upbringing is 「生い立ち」, roots are 「ルーツ」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 血筋ちすじ。家柄いえがら。
2. 伝来でんらい。由緒ゆいしょ。
3. 育そだち。育そだってきた境遇きょうぐう。