家族 (jiā zú) refers to an extended family or lineage — a group of people connected by blood, marriage, or adoption across multiple generations. While 家 (jiā) means 'home' or 'immediate family', and 族 (zú) means 'clan', 'tribe', or 'group', together they emphasize kinship ties beyond the nuclear family, often including grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and even distant relatives. This term carries a sense of shared ancestry, heritage, and collective identity.

家族 is commonly used in formal, historical, or sociological contexts — such as discussing family genealogy, inheritance, traditional customs, or business dynasties (e.g., 'a prominent Shanghai family'). It’s less common in casual daily speech than 家庭 (jiātíng, 'household') or 亲人 (qīnrén, 'relatives'), and rarely implies emotional closeness alone; rather, it highlights structural and ancestral bonds. In modern usage, it may also appear in discussions about genetics, family trees, or corporate succession.