祖母

• Reading: そぼ
• Romaji: sobo
• Kanji breakdown: 祖 (so) — ancestor, founder; 母 (bo/haha) — mother
• Pronunciation: /so.bo/

Meaning

Grandmother. The humble term used when referring to one's own grandmother.

Used when talking about your own grandmother to others. The honorific form おばあさん is used for someone else's grandmother or when addressing your own grandmother directly. Pairs with 祖父 in the same humble register.

Examples

1. 祖母の料理が一番おいしいです。 My grandmother's cooking is the best.
2. 祖母は毎朝散歩をします。 My grandmother takes a walk every morning.
3. 週末に祖母と電話で話しました。 I talked with my grandmother on the phone over the weekend.

Usage Guide

Context: talking about family, self-introduction, formal conversation

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 祖 (so, 'ancestor/founder') and 母 (bo, 'mother'). Together they literally mean 'ancestor mother,' the mother of one's parents.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal