<html>
<head>
<style>
.ancestors *
{
display: block;
border: 2px solid lightgrey;
color: lightgrey;
padding: 5px;
margin: 15px;
}
</style>
<script src="https://libs.baidu.com/jquery/1.10.2/jquery.min.js">
</script>
<script>
$(document).ready(function(){
$("span").parent().css({"color":"red","border":"2px solid red"});
});
</script>
</head>
<body>
<div class="ancestors">
<div style="width:500px;">div (great-grandparent)
<ul>ul (grandparent)
<li>li (direct parent)
<span>span</span>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="width:500px;">div (grandparent)
<p>p (direct parent)
<span>span</span>
</p>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>