母親

• Reading: ははおや
• Romaji: hahaoya
• Kanji breakdown: 母 (bo/haha) — mother; 親 (shin/oya) — parent
• Pronunciation: /ha.ha.o.ja/

Meaning

Mother; a formal or objective way to refer to one's own or someone's mother.

A noun used as a more formal and objective term for mother compared to お母さん (okaasan). Often used in writing, news, and when describing the mother-child relationship in general. Paired with 父親 (chichioya, father). While お母さん is the everyday term of address, 母親 is used when discussing mothers in a broader or third-person context.

Examples

1. 母親が作ってくれたお弁当を毎日食べている。 I eat the lunch my mother makes for me every day.
2. 彼女は三人の子供の母親だ。 She is a mother of three children.
3. 母親として子供の成長を見守りたい。 As a mother, I want to watch over my children as they grow.

Usage Guide

Context: family, writing, formal speech

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 母 (haha, mother) and 親 (oya, parent). The kanji 母 depicts a woman nursing a child, while 親 combines 立 (stand), 木 (tree), and 見 (see) — a parent standing watch like a tree.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal