母

• Pinyin: mǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 母 = pictograph of a woman with dots representing breasts, symbolizing mother/nursing.

Meaning

Mother; female (of animals); origin or source.

Used as a prefix or component meaning female or maternal. Common compounds: 母亲 (mother), 母语 (mother tongue), 母校 (alma mater), 母公司 (parent company). For animals: 母鸡 (hen), 母牛 (cow). Also indicates source: 字母 (alphabet letter), 母本 (master copy).

Examples

1. 中文是我的母语，英语是我的第二语言。 Chinese is my mother tongue, and English is my second language.
2. 他经常回母校看望以前的老师。 He often goes back to his alma mater to visit his former teachers.
3. 这家公司是一家大型母公司的子公司。 This company is a subsidiary of a large parent company.

Usage Guide

Context: family, linguistics, business

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 我的母语是中文。(My mother tongue is Chinese.)
• 母公司在北京。(The parent company is in Beijing.)

Don't Say

• 直接用母称呼母亲 (Too formal/archaic — use 妈妈 or 母亲 for addressing one's mother)

Origin & History

Pictograph showing a woman with breasts emphasized, representing a nursing mother.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal