縁故|えんこenko[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nounrelation; connection; affinity

• SynonymコネクションNeutralLoanword for links or connections in general, also personal connections you can use; 「縁故」 covers ties by blood, marriage or acquaintance, and ties to a place.
• SynonymコネCasualColloquial word for pull or connections used to gain an advantage, as in 「コネで入社」; 「縁故」 is more neutral, as in 「縁故採用」.
• Synonym結びつきむすびつきNeutralTies between people or things, e.g. 「経済的な結びつき」; 「縁故」 centers on kin or acquaintance ties and affinities.
• Related間柄あいだがらNeutralDescribes the relationship between two people, e.g. 「親しい間柄」; 「縁故」 points to the tie itself — blood, marriage or acquaintance.
• RelatedつながりNeutralEveryday word for links between people or things; 「縁故」 leans written and centers on kin or acquaintance ties and affinities.
• Related身寄りみよりNeutralRelatives you can turn to, often in 「身寄りがない」 — the people, not the tie; 「縁故」 is the relation itself and includes acquaintances.
• Related関係かんけいNeutralThe most general word for relations, covering people, things and any field; 「縁故」 is far narrower — kin or personal ties and affinities.
• Related因縁いんねんWrittenWritten word for fate or karmic ties, also a pretext for fault-finding as in 「因縁をつける」; 「縁故」 is real-life personal relations.
• Related絆きずなNeutralEmotional bonds between people with a warm, positive feel; 「縁故」 simply states that a tie exists, without emotional coloring.
• Related関連かんれんNeutralRelevance or connection between things or topics, e.g. 「関連資料」; 「縁故」 covers kin or personal ties and ties to a place.
• Related仲なかNeutralRefers to how well people get along, e.g. 「仲がいい」; 「縁故」 is about whether a kin or acquaintance tie exists at all.
• Related人間関係にんげんかんけいNeutralThe overall web of personal dealings in a group or society; 「縁故」 points to a specific tie of blood, marriage or acquaintance.
• Related血縁けつえんWrittenWritten word for blood ties or blood relatives; 「縁故」 is broader, taking in blood, marriage and acquaintances.
• RelatedゆかりNeutralRefers to an affinity with a person or place, often in 「ゆかりの地」, and can also mean relatives; 「縁故」 is mostly about ties between people.
• Related関わりかかわりNeutralInvolvement or connection with something, e.g. 「事件との関わり」; 「縁故」 stresses kinship or personal ties and affinities.
• Related由縁ゆえんWrittenWritten word for a tie, also for origin or reason, and rarely used; in everyday speech prefer 「縁故」 or 「ゆかり」.
• Related類縁るいえんWrittenWritten word for kin or a family group, also affinity between similar things; in daily speech say 「親類」 for relatives.

For general relations say 「関係」 or 「繋がり」, and 「人間関係」 for personal dealings in a group. 「縁故」 is for ties with relatives and acquaintances, as in 「縁故採用」, and can also mark an affinity with a place; colloquially, using connections is 「コネ」.

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

1. 血縁けつえん・姻戚いんせきなどによる繋つながり。
2. 人ひとと人ひととの繋つながり。