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Kotomora

母

mother

JLPTN5StatusJōyō · grade 2FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes5

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

Explore all words using 母 →

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.