華族|かぞくkazoku[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nounpeerage (in Japan; 1869-1947); nobility; aristocracy

• Synonym貴族きぞくNeutralGeneral term for nobility anywhere, also used figuratively; 「華族」 mostly refers to Japan's 1869–1947 peerage families, and is also an old name for the 「清華家」.
• Synonym貴族階級きぞくかいきゅうWrittenWritten/formal term for the nobility as a whole social class, not limited to Japan; 「華族」 denotes the families under Japan's specific system.
• Related公家くげNeutralHistorical term for court nobles serving the Emperor, set against the samurai class 「武家」.
• Related雲上人うんじょうびとWrittenA written, old-fashioned word for the highly born at court, rarely seen even in prose.
• Related公卿くぎょうWrittenHistorical written term for court nobles of third rank or higher; older than 「華族」.
• Antonym平民へいみんNeutralOrdinary people with no official rank or title; in the Meiji class system a status below the 「士族」, opposite to 「華族」.

For nobility in general use 「貴族」; keep 「華族」 for Japan's 1869–1947 peerage families. 「貴族階級」 names the class as a whole in formal prose; 「公家」 and 「公卿」 are historical court-noble terms, 「雲上人」 an archaic one; 「平民」 is the opposite.

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

1. 公家くげの家格かかくである清華せいが家かの別称べっしょう。
2. 戦前せんぜん、旧きゅう公家くげ、大名だいみょう、神官しんかん、僧侶そうりょ、国家こっかに偉勲いくん、功労こうろうのあった者もので、爵位しゃくいを授さずかった者ものと、その一族いちぞく。第だい二に次じ世界せかい大戦たいせん後ご、廃止はいし。