家世 (jiā shì): family background

Her boyfriend comes from a distinguished family—several generations of his ancestors were well-known merchants in this city—so her parents are especially pleased with the match.

At job fairs, some companies ask about applicants' family backgrounds, but many people now consider this practice unfair.

Although his family background is ordinary, through his own hard work and talent he became the founder of a tech company by the age of thirty.

In ancient times, marriage emphasized matching social status; only when both sides' family backgrounds were equal was it considered a suitable union.