| For many babies, the first words they utter are “mama” or “papa.” This is not surprising, as babies tend to express things they experience regularly in their environment. Just like in other languages, the most common way for children to call their mother in Chinese is “mā ma.” However, there are other ways to address one’s mother. In this post, you will learn common Chinese terms for “mother.”  Mom 妈妈 The compound character 妈 (mā) combines 女 (woman) and 马 (horse). 女 suggests the meaning, while 马 (mǎ) indicates the sound. Doubling up the character 妈 gives us the two-character word 妈妈 (mā ma), which sounds like “mama.” You might wonder the difference between the single-character word 妈 and the two-character word 妈妈 since they both mean “mom.” Little children usually call their mom 妈妈, but youth and adults tend to address their mom with the single character, 妈, to show their affection towards their mother. However, some Chinese kids might call their mom 妈 to demonstrate that they have grown up. Mom 老妈 老妈 (lǎo mā), literally old mom, is another way for young people and grow-ups to show a good child-mother relationship. Mommy 妈咪 妈咪 (mā mī) is a loanword derived from the English term “mommy.” This endearing term is often used by Chinese toddlers and young children when addressing their moms. It adds a sweet and affectionate touch to their conversations with their mothers. The traditional form is 媽咪. Mother 母亲 The literal translation of 母亲 (mǔ qīn) is “female relative.” It is a formal way to call or refer to one’s mother, similar to “mother” in English. You would normally see this term used in writing or formal occasions, such as in 母亲节 (Mother’s Day; mǔqīn jié). Here are two bonus words for “mother.” While not often taught in Chinese textbooks, these terms are occasionally used in everyday situations. Mother 娘 The compound character 娘 (niáng) combines 女 (woman) and 良 (virtuous). 女 suggests the meaning, while 良 (liáng) indicates the sound. This term is seen as old-fashioned, but you might hear people use it in some remote villages in China or occasionally in Chinese historical dramas. My mother 家母 家母 (jiā mǔ) is a very formal term used when referring to one’s own mother while speaking to others. The phrase consists of two characters: 家, which means “home” or “family,” and 母, which stands for “mother” in this context. |
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