妈 (mā) - Mother & mom

妈Tone 1

mā ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 女

伦妙

妈 · mā

Mother;

mom;

ma;

respectful term for an elderly woman.

Mothermomma

Usage highlights

MotherMomStepmotherGodmotherAuntGrandmother

Synonyms

  • 母亲— mother (formal)
  • 娘— mom (informal, regional)
  • 妈咪— mommy (affectionate)

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • My mother (妈妈) is very kind.
  • I called my mom (妈) on the phone.
  • She is a grandmother (奶奶/外婆).
  • The auntie (阿姨) helped us.

Collocations

  • Mother(妈妈)
  • Mom(妈)
  • Stepmother(后妈)
  • Godmother(干妈)
  • Aunt(姨妈/姑妈)
  • Grandmother(姥姥/外婆)

Idioms

  • Dearest mother(亲妈)
  • Tiger mother(虎妈)
  • Mother is the greatest(妈最大)
  • Mother's love is boundless(母爱无边)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Represents the maternal figure and filial piety in Confucian culture.
  • Used as a respectful form of address for older women in some contexts.
  • The character combines the 'female' radical with the 'horse' component, though the phonetic connection is historical.

FAQ