母
mother
Readings
On'yomi
- ボ
Kun'yomi
- はは
- も
Meaning
母 centers on the concept of a mother: a female parent or maternal figure.
Most common words using 母
24 of 297- 母ははN5
mother
- 母親ははおやN3
mother
- お母さんおかあさんN5
mother; mom; mum; ma
- 祖母そぼN4
grandmother
- 叔母おばN4
aunt
- 空母くうぼ
aircraft carrier
- 母さんかあさん
mother
- 母乳ぼにゅう
mother's milk
- 母国ぼこくN1
one's home country; one's homeland
- 母子ぼし
mother and child
- 義母ぎぼN1
mother-in-law
- 母体ぼたい
mother's body (esp. when pregnant or after giving birth)
- 母校ぼこうN1
alma mater
- 祖父母そふぼN2
grandparents
- お祖母さんおばあさんN5
grandmother
- 酵母こうぼ
yeast; leaven
- 母性ぼせい
motherhood; maternity
- 父母ふぼN2
father and mother; parents
- 聖母せいぼ
mother of a holy person
- 母音ぼいん
vowel
- 母方ははかた
mother's side of family
- 保母ほぼN2
(female) childcare worker; nursery school teacher
- 分母ぶんぼN1
denominator
- 母胎ぼたい
womb; uterus
Study
Etymology
母 is a pictograph of a woman with breasts, representing a mother. The modern form retains the stylized shape of a kneeling or standing female figure with two dots indicating breasts.
Meaning mnemonic
The two dots inside the box-like shape represent breasts, and the overall form suggests a woman's body. Picture a mother nursing her child: 母 is mother.
Reading mnemonic
For ボ, imagine a mother gently saying 'bo' to her baby, like a soft, comforting sound: bo -> ボ, the sound a mother makes.