Translation guide
A woman who raises a child that is not biologically hers, either formally through the foster care system or informally. In Japanese, the term depends on the legal and emotional context, and often the relationship is described rather than labeled with a single word.
A woman officially approved to care for a child in the foster care system.
The standard term for a foster parent, but it is gender-neutral. To specify 'foster mother,' you can say 里親のお母さん or 女性の里親. 里母 alone is less common but understood.
彼女は里親として三人の子供を育てている。
She is raising three children as a foster mother.
A more specific way to say 'foster mother' by adding お母さん (mother) to 里親 (foster parent).
里親のお母さんはとても優しい。
The foster mother is very kind.
A technical term used in the child welfare system for a foster parent who provides long-term care, as opposed to short-term or specialized care. Can be specified as 養育里母 for 'foster mother,' but this is very formal and bureaucratic.
養育里親になるには研修が必要です。
To become a foster parent (long-term), training is required.
A woman who takes care of a child not her own, often a relative or family friend, without formal foster care involvement.
Literally 'mother who raised (the child),' used to contrast with a biological mother (生みの母). It implies a nurturing role, often in informal or historical contexts.
彼女は私の育ての母です。
She is the mother who raised me.
A warmer, more colloquial version of 育ての母, often used by children or in casual speech.
育てのお母さんに感謝している。
I'm grateful to the mom who raised me.
In many informal situations, Japanese speakers avoid a specific term and instead describe the relationship, e.g., 小さい頃から面倒を見てくれた女性 (the woman who took care of me since I was little). This is natural when the legal status is unclear or irrelevant.
彼女は私が子供の頃から面倒を見てくれた。まるで育ての母のようだ。
She has taken care of me since I was a child. She's like a foster mother to me.
A woman who has legally adopted a child. Note: This is distinct from foster mother, but the English term 'foster mother' is sometimes used loosely for adoptive mothers.
The legal term for an adoptive mother. Use this when the adoption is formalized. Not to be confused with 里母 (foster mother).
彼女は私の養母です。
She is my adoptive mother.
A descriptive phrase meaning 'mother who adopted a child.' Useful for clarity in conversation.
養子縁組をした母として、彼女は多くの困難を乗り越えた。
As an adoptive mother, she overcame many difficulties.
A female animal that cares for young that are not her own, or a human who fosters animals.
Literally 'surrogate mother,' used for animals that raise another's offspring. Can also refer to a human surrogate mother, but context distinguishes.
その犬は子猫たちの代理母になった。
That dog became a foster mother to the kittens.
里親 (foster parent) provides temporary care through the child welfare system, while 養母 (adoptive mother) is a permanent legal parent. Using the wrong term can cause confusion in legal or formal contexts.
The direct translation 'フォスターマザー' is not commonly used in Japanese. It may be understood in some international contexts, but it sounds unnatural. Use the appropriate Japanese term based on the situation.
Gender-neutral 'foster parent,' often used for animals. To specify female, add 雌の (めすの) or use context.
その雌ライオンは孤児の子ライオンの育ての親になった。
The lioness became a foster mother to the orphaned cub.