Dictionary
English - Chinese
Mother
ˈməðər
Extremely common
300 - 400
300 - 400
The word frequency and importance index indicates how often a word appears in a given language. The smaller the number, the more frequently the word is used. The most frequently used words typically range from about 1 to 4000. This importance index helps you focus on the most useful words during your language learning process.
The word frequency and importance index indicates how often a word appears in a given language. The smaller the number, the more frequently the word is used. The most frequently used words typically range from about 1 to 4000. This importance index helps you focus on the most useful words during your language learning process.
母亲, 妈妈, 母, 养母, 母系
Mother meanings in Chinese
母亲
Example:
My mother is a teacher.
我妈妈是一名教师。
She loves her mother very much.
她非常爱她的母亲。
Usage: formal/informalContext: Used in both formal and informal settings when referring to one's biological mother.
Note: This term is widely used in Chinese culture, emphasizing the importance of mothers in families.
妈妈
Example:
Mom, can you help me with my homework?
妈妈，你能帮我做作业吗？
I want to call my mom.
我想给妈妈打电话。
Usage: informalContext: Used in casual conversations, typically by children or younger individuals.
Note: This is a more affectionate and informal term for 'mother'.
母
Example:
The mother of all inventions is necessity.
一切发明之母是需求。
In biology, the term 'mother' can refer to the female parent of an organism.
在生物学中，'母'可以指一个生物的雌性父母。
Usage: formalContext: Used in academic or biological contexts to denote the female counterpart or origin.
Note: This term is often used in compound words, such as '母体' (mother body) or '母语' (mother tongue).
养母
Example:
She was raised by her adoptive mother.
她是由养母抚养长大的。
An adoptive mother can provide a loving home.
养母可以提供一个充满爱的家。
Usage: formal/informalContext: Used when referring to an adoptive mother, in both formal and informal contexts.
Note: This term highlights the role of a mother in a non-biological sense, important in discussions about family structures.
母系
Example:
She comes from a matrilineal family.
她来自一个母系家庭。
In some cultures, inheritance is determined by the maternal line.
在某些文化中，遗产通过母系继承。
Usage: formalContext: Used in discussions of lineage and family structures, particularly in anthropology or sociology.
Note: This term refers to maternal lineage and is often encountered in academic discussions.
Mother's synonyms
mom
Mom is an informal term for mother, commonly used in American English.
Example: My mom cooks delicious meals for us every day.
Note: Mom is more casual and intimate compared to mother.
mum
Mum is a British English term for mother, similar to 'mom' in American English.
Example: I called my mum to wish her a happy birthday.
Note: Mum is the British variant of 'mom' and is commonly used in the UK and other Commonwealth countries.
mama
Mama is an affectionate and informal term for mother, often used by young children.
Example: The baby reached out to its mama for comfort.
Note: Mama is a more endearing term for mother, often associated with childhood or closeness.
ma
Ma is a shortened and informal version of 'mama' or 'mum', used in various English-speaking regions.
Example: Ma always knows how to make everything better.
Note: Ma is a more colloquial and shortened form of mother, commonly used in informal settings.
Mother expressions, common phrases
like mother, like daughter
This phrase means that a daughter tends to have similar qualities or characteristics as her mother.
Example: She's always helping others, just like her mother. Like mother, like daughter.
Note: The phrase focuses on similarities in behavior or traits between a mother and daughter, rather than just the relationship itself.
a mother's love knows no bounds
This phrase emphasizes the limitless and unconditional love that a mother has for her children.
Example: Even in difficult times, her mother's love for her children knows no bounds.
Note: It highlights the depth and strength of a mother's love beyond what is typically expected.
mother hen
A 'mother hen' is someone, usually a woman, who is overly protective and caring towards others.
Example: She's always fussing over us, acting like a mother hen.
Note: It refers to a person's behavior of being overly protective, similar to how a mother hen cares for her chicks.
a face only a mother could love
This phrase humorously suggests that someone is not considered attractive by conventional standards.
Example: He's not conventionally attractive, some might say he has a face only a mother could love.
Note: It humorously implies that only a mother, with unconditional love, could find beauty in something that others may not.
to be a mother's boy / mama's boy
A 'mother's boy' or 'mama's boy' is a term used for a man who is overly attached to his mother and seeks her approval.
Example: He's such a mama's boy, always calling her for advice.
Note: It describes a person, usually a man, who is excessively reliant on his mother for emotional support or decision-making.
mother of all
The 'mother of all' is used to emphasize the extreme or ultimate nature of something.
Example: That storm was the mother of all storms, causing widespread damage.
Note: It conveys a sense of magnitude or intensity, suggesting that something is the biggest or most significant of its kind.
to have a face like a wet weekend
This phrase describes someone's facial expression as looking unhappy, miserable, or depressed.
Example: She walked in with a face like a wet weekend. Her expression was gloomy and sad.
Note: It uses a simile to compare someone's expression to a wet weekend, implying dreariness and lack of sunshine.
Mother everyday (slang) expressions
matriarch
A term for a female head of a family or group, often associated with strength and leadership.
Example: She's the matriarch of the family, always keeping everyone in line.
Note: Implies a position of authority and respect within a family or community.
mommy dearest
A term used sarcastically to refer to a mother who is strict or demanding.
Example: She can be quite the mommy dearest when you don't follow her rules.
Note: Carries a negative or critical connotation towards the mother's behavior.
motherhood
Refers to the state or experience of being a mother.
Example: Welcome to the joys and challenges of motherhood.
Note: Broadly encompasses the roles, responsibilities, and emotions associated with being a mother.
Mother - Examples
My mother is the most important person in my life.
我的母亲是我生命中最重要的人。
She became a mother for the first time at the age of 25.
她在25岁时第一次成为母亲。
His mother-in-law is coming to visit them next week.
他的岳母下周要来拜访他们。
Mother grammar
Mother - Noun (Noun) / Noun, singular or mass (Noun, singular or mass)
Lemma: mother
Conjugations
Noun, plural (Noun, plural): mothers
Noun, singular or mass (Noun, singular or mass): mother
Verb, past tense (Verb, past tense): mothered
Verb, gerund or present participle (Verb, gerund or present participle): mothering
Verb, 3rd person singular present (Verb, 3rd person singular present): mothers
Verb, base form (Verb, base form): mother
Verb, non-3rd person singular present (Verb, non-3rd person singular present): mother
Syllables, Separation and Stress
mother Contains 2 syllables: moth • er
Phonetic transcription: ˈmə-t͟hər
moth er , ˈmə t͟hər (The red syllable is stressed)
Mother - Importance and usage frequency
The word frequency and importance index indicates how often a word appears in a given language. The smaller the number, the more frequently the word is used. The most frequently used words typically range from about 1 to 4000.
mother: 300 - 400 (Extremely common).
This importance index helps you focus on the most useful words during your language learning process.
...