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お母様 (okaasama) Japanese meaning: mother (honorific) | Kotomora

お母かあ様さま

お

か

あ

さ

ま

JLPTN2›Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

mother (honorific)

honorific or respectful (sonkeigo)›

Very polite and respectful term for one's own or someone else's mother. Used in formal situations or when showing high respect.

お母かあ様さまはどちらにいらっしゃいますか

。

Where is your mother?

お母かあ様さまによろしくお伝つたえください。

Please give my regards to your mother.

Usage patterns

お母様かあさまによろしくお伝つたえくださいplease give my regards to your mother
お母かあ様さまによろしくお伝つたえください。
Please give my regards to your mother.
お母様かあさまはお元気げんきですかasking politely how someone's mother is doing
お母かあ様さまはお元げん気きですか。
Is your mother doing well?

Kanji

母mother
様Esq., way, manner

Related words

お母かあさんN5
お母様 is the very formal, respectful term for 'mother', while お母さん is the everyday polite word used by most people in normal conversation.
ママN3
お母様 is used in formal, respectful speech, whereas ママ is a casual, affectionate word for 'mom' used mainly by young children or in informal family settings.

Opposites

お父とう様さまN2
お母様 is the honorific term for 'mother', while お父様 is the corresponding honorific term for 'father'.

Politeness

母ははhumble 謙譲語N5
お母様 politely refers to someone else's (or occasionally one's own) mother, while 母 is the humble term used to refer to one's own mother when speaking to others.

Counted with

人にん
The everyday counter for people: 一人 (ひとり), 二人 (ふたり), 三人 (さんにん).
名めいN2
Used in formal contexts or when counting people politely, but not for ordinary family reference.

Built from

おかあ+様さま

Written forms

お母かあ様さま
Standard respectful spelling for 'mother'.
お母かあさま
Kana suffix spelling; common in less formal writing.

Etymology

Polite prefix お (o-) + 母 (kā, 'mother') + honorific suffix 様 (sama).