继母

• 병음: jì mǔ
• 한자 분석: 继 = 纟+ 㐄 (continuation/succession); 母 = pictograph of a woman with breasts marked (mother)

뜻

계모(새어머니)

The stepmother figure carries significant cultural baggage in Chinese literature and folklore, often portrayed negatively. Modern discourse emphasises a more nuanced understanding. Distinct from 养母 (adoptive mother).

예문

1. 他的继母待他如同亲生子女，一视同仁，从未让他感受到任何差别对待。
2. 民间故事中的继母形象往往过于刻板，并不能真实反映当代家庭中继母群体的实际状况。
3. 父亲再婚后，她花了整整一年时间才逐渐接受这位新来的继母，并开始尝试建立信任关系。

사용 가이드

맥락: family, culture, social norms, literature

어조: neutral

올바른 표현

• 随着离婚率上升和再婚家庭增多，社会愈发需要为继母提供心理支持和社区资源，帮助她们应对重组家庭中的情感压力。(As divorce rates rise and remarried families increase, society increasingly needs to provide psychological support and community resources for stepmothers to help them handle the emotional pressure of blended families.)
• 研究者指出，继母与继子女建立关系时，最大挑战之一是平衡权威与尊重原有依恋，这需要情商和耐心。(Researchers point out that one of the biggest challenges for a stepmother in building a relationship with stepchildren is balancing authority with respect for existing attachments, which requires emotional intelligence and patience.)

피해야 할 표현

• 继母 vs 养母 — 继母 is a stepmother (father remarried); 养母 is an adoptive mother (legal adoption). They have distinct legal and emotional connotations — do not use them interchangeably

기원과 역사

继 (to follow/succeed, step-) + 母 (mother)

문화적 배경

세대: All ages

사회적 배경: Universal