Translation and Meaning of: 母 - haha

The Japanese word for "mother" is 「母」, read as "haha" in romaji. This word is composed of the kanji 「母」, which represents the concept of origin, care, and protection, characteristics traditionally associated with the maternal figure. The kanji 「母」 is often used when referring to one's own mother in a more intimate or casual manner, reflecting a direct emotional or familial association.

In the etymology of the kanji 「母」, we find two main elements: the strokes in the upper part that vaguely resemble two protrusions, representing maternal breasts, and below, a horizontal line symbolizing the base or support. This iconography suggests the function of nurturing and sustaining. Other ways to write mother in Japanese include 「お母さん」 (okaasan), a more formal and respectful term used when talking about someone else's mother or honorifically about one's own mother.

In addition to its basic use, the term 「母」 and its variations appear in various expressions and word compositions in the Japanese language. For example, 「母国」 (bokoku) means "country of origin" or "hometown," demonstrating how the maternal figure is symbolically associated with home and personal roots. The related words help to understand how the mother is seen as central in Japanese culture, both for its familial implications and for its symbolic role in individual and cultural identity.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 母親 (haha) - Mother (formal term)
• お母さん (okaasan) - Mother (respectful and common term to refer to mother)
• お袋 (ofuku) - Mother (more colloquial and affectionate term)
• はは (haha) - Mother (informal term, used in personal contexts)
• かあさん (kaasan) - Mother (affectionate and colloquial term)

母

Romaji: haha
Kana: はは
Type: noun
L: -

Translation / Meaning: mother

Meaning in English: mother

Definition: The woman who gave birth to me.

Example Sentences - (母) haha

See below some example sentences:

私の母校はとても素晴らしい学校です。

Watashi no bokou wa totemo subarashii gakkou desu

My primary school is a very good school.

My alma mater is a wonderful school.

• 私 - The personal pronoun that means "I" in Japanese.
• の - particle that indicates possession or relationship between two things
• 母校 - noun that means "school where one graduated"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "my school"
• とても - adverb meaning "very"
• 素晴らしい - adjective that means "wonderful"
• 学校 - noun meaning "school"
• です - verb that indicates the polite way of affirming or asking something, in this case, "is"

私の母はとても優しいです。

Watashi no haha wa totemo yasashii desu

My mother is very kind.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• の - particle that indicates possession or belonging
• 母 - noun meaning "mother"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "my mother"
• とても - adverb meaning "very"
• 優しい - adjective meaning "gentle" or "kind"
• です - verb that indicates the state or action, in this case, "is" or "are"

私の祖母はとても優しい人です。

Watashi no sobo wa totemo yasashii hito desu

Minha avó é uma pessoa muito gentil.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• の - particle that indicates possession, equivalent to "of"
• 祖母 - "Grandfather"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, equivalent to "about"
• とても - adverb meaning "very"
• 優しい - adjetivo que significa "gentil"
• 人 - noun that means "person"
• です - verbo que indica o estado ou ação, equivalente a "ser" ou "estar"

私の母国は日本です。

Watashi no bokoku wa Nihon desu

My home country is Japan.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• の - particle that indicates possession, equivalent to "of"
• 母国 - "native country"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, equivalent to "is"
• 日本 - noun meaning "Japan"
• です - verb "to be" in the present, equivalent to "is"