Word
filial
Phoneticsfil·ial
US/ˈfɪɫiəɫ/
UK/fˈɪlɪəl/
Definition
adj. showing love, respect, and care for your parents. You use it to talk about a child's duty to look after older family members.
adj. Pertaining to the relationship or duties of a son or daughter toward a parent, especially love, respect, and obedience. Often appears in discussions of family obligation and moral philosophy.
Examples
“She shows filial love by visiting her parents weekly.”
“He moved closer to home out of filial duty to care for his aging mother.”
“The novel explores filial loyalty as both a source of strength and a burden, as the heroine sacrifices her career to honour her father's wishes.”
Examples
simple
“She shows filial love by visiting her parents weekly.”
contextual
“He moved closer to home out of filial duty to care for his aging mother.”
complex
“The novel explores filial loyalty as both a source of strength and a burden, as the heroine sacrifices her career to honour her father's wishes.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “filial” in context.
Verb
01. filial to parents
“Children are expected to be filial to parents in many Asian cultures.”
adj + prep + noun
Adjective
02. deeply filial
“He is a deeply filial son who visits his elderly mother every day.”
adv + adj
03. profoundly filial
“Her decision to return home was profoundly filial and widely admired.”
adv + adj
Noun
04. filial devotion
“His filial devotion was evident in the way he nursed his mother.”
adj + noun
05. filial duty
“She gave up her job out of filial duty to care for her father.”
adj + noun
06. filial loyalty
“Her filial loyalty kept her close to family despite career offers abroad.”
adj + noun
07. filial obligation
“He felt a strong filial obligation to support his ageing parents.”
adj + noun
08. filial piety
“Filial piety remains a core value in many East Asian societies.”
adj + noun
09. filial respect
“The ceremony expressed filial respect for ancestors and elders.”
adj + noun
10. demonstrate filial devotion
“He demonstrated filial devotion by funding his parents' medical care.”
11. fulfil filial duty
“She returned home to fulfil filial duty after her mother fell ill.”
12. practice filial piety
“They practice filial piety by living with and caring for elders.”
Usage
Typically placed before the noun it modifies.
Etymology
From Middle English filial, from Latin fīliālis, from filius (“son”) / filia (“daughter”) + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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