嬤 (mā) - Mama — mother & nursemaid

嬤Tone 1

mā ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

伦妙

嬤 · mā

Mama — mother;

nursemaid;

elderly woman;

respectful term for an older woman.

Mama — mothernursemaidelderly woman

Usage highlights

MotherGrandmotherNursemaidOld ladyWet nurseAuntie

Synonyms

  • 妈— mother
  • 母— mother
  • 娘— mother (dialectal)

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She calls her mother (妈妈).
  • The grandmother is very kind (老嬷嬷).
  • In some dialects, it's used for mother (嬷).
  • The nursemaid took care of the child (嬷姨).

Collocations

  • Mother(妈妈)
  • Grandmother(嬷嬷)
  • Nursemaid(嬷姨)
  • Old lady(老嬷)
  • Wet nurse(奶嬷)
  • Auntie(阿嬷)

Idioms

  • Respect for elders(尊老敬嬷)
  • Motherly love(母爱如嬷)
  • Family warmth(家有一嬷)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally a dialectal term for mother, especially in southern China.
  • Used as a respectful term for elderly women or grandmothers in some regions.
  • Commonly appears in folk songs and traditional stories.

FAQ