Translation guide
The English word 'maternal' relates to mothers or the mother's side of the family. In Japanese, there is no single adjective that covers all uses. Instead, different expressions are used depending on whether you are talking about relatives, feelings, or qualities.
Describing relatives on the mother's side, such as maternal grandmother, maternal uncle, etc.
This pattern means 'on the mother's side' and is the standard way to specify maternal relatives.
母方の祖母は京都に住んでいます。
My maternal grandmother lives in Kyoto.
My maternal uncle is a doctor.
Literally 'mother's [relative]'. More casual and common in speech, but can be ambiguous if context doesn't make it clear.
母のいとこが来週結婚します。
My mother's cousin is getting married next week.
Describing nurturing, protective feelings typically associated with a mother.
A noun meaning 'motherhood' or 'maternal instinct'. Often used in compounds like 母性愛 (maternal love) or 母性本能 (maternal instinct).
彼女は強い母性本能を持っている。
She has a strong maternal instinct.
Means 'like a mother' or 'motherly'. Used to describe someone's behavior or attitude.
彼女は私に母親のような愛情を示してくれた。
She showed me maternal affection.
A na-adjective meaning 'maternal' or 'motherly'. Less common than 母性, but can be used attributively.
彼女の母性的な優しさに感動した。
I was moved by her maternal kindness.
Describing a relationship that comes from the mother's side, such as maternal lineage or maternal inheritance.
Means 'matrilineal' or 'maternal line'. Used in formal or technical contexts like genetics or ancestry.
この病気は母系遺伝です。
This disease is inherited through the maternal line.
Literally 'bloodline of the mother's side'. Used when talking about ancestry or family traits.
彼は母方の血筋で芸術の才能を受け継いでいる。
He inherited his artistic talent from his maternal line.
The English loanword マターナル is not commonly used in Japanese. It may appear in some medical or academic contexts, but for everyday speech, use the Japanese expressions above.
母方 (ははかた) means 'maternal side', while 父方 (ちちかた) means 'paternal side'. These are symmetric and very common when specifying family relations.