嬷 (mā) - Mama — refers to mother or elderly woman & commonly used in the term 'Amah' for a

嬷Tone 1

mā ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

妙慕

嬷 · mā

Mama — refers to mother or elderly woman;

commonly used in the term 'Amah' for a nanny or wet nurse in Chinese contexts.

Mama — refers to mother or elderly womancommonly used in the term 'Amah' for a

Usage highlights

Amah nannyOld womanMotherWet nurseGrandmotherHousekeeper Amah

Synonyms

  • 妈— mother
  • 母— mother (formal)
  • 奶奶— grandmother (paternal)
  • 外婆— grandmother (maternal)
  • 保姆— nanny, babysitter

Antonyms

  • 公— grandfather, elderly man
  • 爸— father
  • 爷— grandfather

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The child called for his mother (嬷嬷).
  • She worked as a nanny (阿嬷) for many years.
  • The elderly woman (老嬷) told stories of the past.
  • In some dialects, grandmother is called Amah (阿嬷).

Collocations

  • Amah nanny(阿嬷)
  • Old woman(老嬷)
  • Mother(嬷嬷)
  • Wet nurse(奶嬷)
  • Grandmother(阿嬷)
  • Housekeeper Amah(管家嬷)

Idioms

  • Amah's care and devotion(嬷嬷情深)
  • The wisdom of the elderly Amah(老嬷智慧)
  • Amah's storytelling tradition(阿嬷讲古)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically used for nannies and wet nurses in Chinese households, particularly in Southern China and Southeast Asian Chinese communities.
  • The term carries connotations of maternal care, domestic service, and intergenerational wisdom.
  • In Min Nan and other Southern dialects, 嬷 commonly refers to grandmother or elderly female relatives.

FAQ