Chinese Conversation · Level 14
90 words
Chinese word
母语
Pronunciation
Pinyinmǔ yǔ
Meaning
- nounnative language
Example
你的母语是什么？nǐ de mú yǔ shì shén me
What is your native language?
More examples
我从小就在家用母语和父母交流。wǒ cóng xiǎo jiù zài jiā yòng mú yǔ hé fù mǔ jiāo liú
I have used my native language to communicate with my parents at home since I was little.
Core concept
A language first absorbed in early family life and used naturally in everyday living.
Common phrases
我的母语wǒ de mú yǔ
my native language
说母语shuō mú yǔ
speak one's native language
用母语yòng mú yǔ
use one's native language
学习母语xué xí mú yǔ
learn one's native language
Similar words
第一语言dì yì yǔ yán: The first language learned and acquired from early childhood.
语言yǔ yán: A language used in speech or writing to communicate thoughts and information.
方言fāng yán: A regional or group variety of language used in daily life and marked by local features.
官方语言guān fāng yǔ yán: A language officially used by a government and in public settings.
Definition in Chinese
一个人在家庭中从父母或主要照顾者处最先学会并在日常生活中自然使用的语言，也就是习得的第一语言。yí gè rén zài jiā tíng zhōng cóng fù mǔ huò zhǔ yào zhào gù zhě chù zuì xiān xué huì bìng zài rì cháng shēng huó zhōng zì rán shǐ yòng de yǔ yán yě jiù shì xí dé de dì yì yǔ yán
Word origin
母 (mǔ, "mother") + 语 (yǔ, "language") forms a compound for the language learned first at home, with mother standing for the family or main caregiver.
Usage tips
- In everyday conversation, this can refer to a home dialect or heritage language, so it need not match a person's nationality or the official language of the country.
Other meanings
- first languagenoun
Opposites
- 外语wài yǔforeign languagenoun
- 第二语言dì èr yǔ yánsecond languagenoun
Related words
- 母语者mú yǔ zhěnative speakernoun
- 母语教育mú yǔ jiào yùnative-language educationnoun