Immediate family refers to a person’s closest relatives, typically including parents, siblings, and children. This core group is often characterized by their direct, day-to-day relationships and responsibilities towards one another. They usually live together or maintain close contact and support each other in significant aspects of life.
In contrast, extended family encompasses a broader group of relatives beyond the immediate family. This can include grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and sometimes even close family friends who are considered family. Extended family members may not have the same level of daily interaction or obligation as the immediate family, but they often play important roles during gatherings and special occasions.
In summary, the key difference lies in the scope of relationships: immediate family is about those you interact with regularly, while extended family represents the larger network of relatives that contributes to a person’s familial connections.