妣 (bǐ) - Deceased mother & used in formal and classical contexts to refer
妣 · bǐ
Deceased mother;
used in formal and classical contexts to refer to one's late mother.
Deceased motherused in formal and classical contexts to refer
Usage highlights
Deceased motherLate parentsLike father, like motherAncestral mothersHonoring deceased motherMother's shrine
Usage & contexts
Examples
- He mourned his deceased mother (先妣).
- The inscription commemorated his late parents (考妣).
- In ancestral rites, we honor our foremothers (祖妣).
Collocations
- Deceased mother(先妣)
- Late parents(考妣)
- Like father, like mother(如丧考妣)
- Ancestral mothers(祖妣)
- Honoring deceased mother(显妣)
- Mother's shrine(妣庙)
Idioms
- As if mourning one's deceased parents(如丧考妣)
- Ancestral fathers and mothers(皇考皇妣)
Cultural background
FAQ- Used in classical Chinese and formal contexts to refer to deceased mother, parallel to 考 for deceased father.
- Appears in ancestral worship texts, tomb inscriptions, and classical literature.
- The term carries formal and respectful connotations, not used in casual modern speech.