媪 (ǎo) - Old woman & elderly woman

媪Tone 3

ǎo ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

安傲

媪 · ǎo

Old woman;

elderly woman;

matriarch;

respectful term for an older woman in ancient China.

Old womanelderly womanmatriarch

Usage highlights

Old womanVillage matriarchRespectful term for elderly womanWhiteKindly old womanNeighborhood elderly woman

Synonyms

  • 妪— old woman
  • 婆— old woman, grandmother
  • 姥— maternal grandmother, old woman

Antonyms

  • 翁— old man
  • 叟— old man, elderly gentleman

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The old woman sat by the fire (老媪坐在火边).
  • In ancient texts, 媪 often refers to elderly women (古文中，媪常指老年妇女).
  • The village matriarch was respected by all (村里的老媪受到所有人的尊敬).

Collocations

  • Old woman(老媪)
  • Village matriarch(村媪)
  • Respectful term for elderly woman(媪妪)
  • White-haired old woman(白发老媪)
  • Kindly old woman(慈媪)
  • Neighborhood elderly woman(邻媪)

Idioms

  • The old woman pointing the way(媪指路)
  • The matriarch's wisdom(媪之智)
  • Respect for elderly women(敬媪尊老)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese literature, 媪 was a respectful term for elderly women, often conveying wisdom and maternal authority.
  • The character appears in historical texts and folk tales referring to village matriarchs or wise elderly women.
  • The radical 女 (woman) combined with 昷 (warmth) suggests the nurturing quality associated with elderly women.

FAQ