家長

Semantically parallels Proto-Indo-European *déms pótis (“master of the house”), whence Ancient Greek δεσπότης (despótēs), Sanskrit दम्पति (dampati), etc.

家長

1. head of a household; family head; patriarch

   • 若處家得罪於家長，猶有鄰家所避逃之。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     若处家得罪于家长，犹有邻家所避逃之。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mozi, c. 4^th century BCE

     Ruò chùjiā dézuì yú jiācháng, yóu yǒu línjiā suǒ bìtáo zhī. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

2. parent(s) or guardian of a minor (especially a student)

   見家長／见家长  ―  jiàn jiāzhǎng  ―  (of a student's teacher or a person's partner) to meet one's parents

From Middle Chinese 家長 (MC kae trjangX).

• IPA^(key): [ka̠t͡ɕo̞ː]

家(か)長(ちょう) • (kachō) 

1. the head of a household, a householder
2. a patriarch
3. a matriarch

• Historically, this role has more commonly been filled by a man. However, this word alone is generally not gender-specific, and can refer to either a male or female head of household. To specify a particular gender, this word may be prefixed with either 女 (onna, “woman”) or 男 (otoko, “man”).

• 族長(ぞくちょう) (zokuchō): the head of a family or clan

• 女家長(おんなかちょう) (onna kachō): a matriarch, the female head of a household
• 男家長(おとこかちょう) (otoko kachō): a patriarch, the male head of a household
• 女族長(おんなぞくちょう) (onna zokuchō): a matriarch, the female head of a family or clan
• 男族長(おとこぞくちょう) (otoko zokuchō): a patriarch, the male head of a family or clan

家長 • (gajang) (hangeul 가장)

1. hanja form^? of 가장 (“the head of a family”)

家長

1. chữ Hán form of gia trưởng (“the head of a family”)

家長

1. chữ Hán form of gia trưởng (“patriarchal; paternalistic”)