HSK · Level 2
130 words
Chinese word
母
Pronunciation
Pinyinmǔ
Meaning
- nounmother
Example
我和母亲去买东西。wǒ hé mǔ qīn qù mǎi dōng xī
My mother and I went shopping.
More examples
很多移民家庭重视孩子的母语。hěn duō yí mín jiā tíng zhòng shì hái zi de mú yǔ
Many immigrant families value their children's native language.
Core concept
A nurturing origin: the female parent who raises a child, or the starting source of a group or thing.
Common phrases
母亲mǔ qīn
mother
母语mú yǔ
native language
母校mǔ xiào
alma mater
Similar words
妈妈mā mā: A warm, familiar family term for one's mother in daily speech.
母亲mǔ qīn: A respectful term for a mother used in public speech and writing.
Definition in Chinese
生育并抚养子女的女性，也用于表示起源、原始或某事物的来源。shēng yù bìng fú yǎng zí nǚ de nǚ xìng yě yòng yú biǎo shì qǐ yuán yuán shǐ huò mǒu shì wù de lái yuán
Word origin
母 (mǔ, "mother") developed from an early picture of a woman marked by breasts, highlighting the care that connects a mother with what she gives life to.
Usage tips
- Everyday speech usually favors a familiar family term, so this word is especially useful for recognizing formal writing, set compounds, and institutional names.