mother; female parent
A straightforward term for a female parent. Slightly more formal or written than 母, but can be used in everyday contexts.
Fulfill one's responsibilities as a mother.
He grew up without knowing his mother's face.
Compound of 女 (おんな, 'woman') and 親 (おや, 'parent'). The reading is a straightforward combination of the kun'yomi of each kanji.