沾亲带故

zhān qīn dài gù

to be related or connected in some way

Character by character

沾zhān
touch

亲qīn
kin

带dài
bring

故gù
old friend

这个村子不大，几百户人家多少都沾亲带故。

The village is small, and its few hundred households are all related one way or another.

Tone: neutral.

亲 is kin and 故 is an old friend (故交). Often used to explain a favour or a suspicion: 他跟老板沾亲带故.

Learn this in Lesson 38 · HSK 5–6: 亲戚怎么叫 (What to call your relatives)

A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.