母語

• Reading: ぼご
• Romaji: bogo
• Kanji breakdown: 母 (bo/haha) — mother; 語 (go) — language, word
• Pronunciation: /bo.ɡo/

Meaning

Mother tongue; native language. The first language a person acquires from birth.

A noun referring to the language a person naturally acquires as a child, typically from their parents. In linguistics, 母語 is the precise technical term for 'first language' or 'L1.' Slightly more academic than 母国語 (bokokugo), which ties the language to a country. 母語 focuses on the individual's personal first language regardless of nationality — useful when a person's native language differs from their country's official language.

Examples

1. 母語が日本語でない学生も多く在籍している。 Many students enrolled here do not have Japanese as their native language.
2. 母語の影響で外国語の発音が難しいことがある。 Your native language can sometimes make foreign language pronunciation more difficult.
3. 子どもは母語を自然に身につける。 Children acquire their mother tongue naturally.

Usage Guide

Context: linguistics, education, academics

Tone: academic

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 母 (bo, mother) + 語 (go, language). Literally 'mother language' — the language inherited from one's mother, paralleling the English 'mother tongue.'

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Educated