Japanese word

おば

Pronunciation

Romajioba

Meaning

  • nounaunt

Example

おばから絵本をもらいました。o ba ka ra e hon o mo ra i ma shi ta

I got a picture book from my aunt.

Illustration for おば (aunt)

More examples

夏休みには、おばの家で一週間過ごしました。natsu yasu mi ni wa o ba no ie de ichi shū kan su go shi ma shi ta

During summer vacation, I spent a week at my aunt's house.

Core concept

Highlights a woman related through a parent who belongs to the parent's generation rather than the child's own generation.

Common phrases

  • おばの家o ba no ie

    aunt's house

  • おばに会うo ba ni a u

    meet one's aunt

  • おばと話すo ba to hana su

    talk with one's aunt

Similar words

伯母oba: A sister of one's parent who is older than that parent.
叔母oba: A sister of one's parent who is younger than that parent.

Definition in Japanese

親の女きょうだい、または親の男きょうだいの妻に当たる親族。oya no onna kyō da i ma ta wa oya no otoko kyō da i no tsuma ni a ta ru shin zoku

Word origin

おば (oba) is a native Japanese family term, and its older spelling をば (woba) is recorded in earlier Japanese; its ultimate origin remains unclear.

Usage tips

  • The hiragana form おば (oba) leaves age unspecified, whereas the kanji 伯母 (oba, "older sister of a parent") and 叔母 (oba, "younger sister of a parent") can make the relationship more precise.

Related words

Word lists with this word