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嬷 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
嬷mómothern, 17 strokes, radical 女, rank #66001, Very Hard
嬷módialectal or obsolete equivalent of 媽|妈[ma1]unknown, 17 strokes, radical 女, rank #66001, Very Hard
嬷móTaiwan pr. [ma1]unknown, 17 strokes, radical 女, rank #66001, Very Hard
嬷māmothern, 17 strokes, radical 女, rank #66001, Very Hard
嬷mādialectal or obsolete equivalent of 媽|妈[ma1]unknown, 17 strokes, radical 女, rank #66001, Very Hard
嬷māTaiwan pr. [ma1]unknown, 17 strokes, radical 女, rank #66001, Very Hard
mā(ma1)
primary
T1
  1. 1mother
  2. 2dialectal or obsolete equivalent of 媽|妈[ma1]
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

嬷(嬤)mā(ma1)

The character 嬷 (mā) is a dialectal or obsolete term that serves as an equivalent to the more commonly used 媽 (mā), meaning 'mother' in Mandarin. It may be found in certain regions or historical texts but is not widely used in contemporary language. Understanding this term enhances comprehension of regional dialects and historical literature.

Strokes17Radical女Frequency#66001DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Taiwanese culture, the term 嬷 may be encountered in older literature or regional dialects, reflecting the historical significance of familial terms. The concept of motherhood and the specific terms used can vary significantly across different Chinese-speaking communities.

Memory Tip

Imagine a mother (mā) calling her child while holding a traditional Taiwanese tea set. The character 嬷 (mā) resembles a nurturing figure, with the radical 女 (nǚ) indicating 'female' or 'motherly' traits, and the sound 'mā' connects to the familiar call of a mother.

Meanings of 嬷

mā(ma1)
primary
1mother
2dialectal or obsolete equivalent of 媽|妈[ma1]
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 嬷

嬷Simplified
嬤Traditional
17Strokes
女Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 嬷

JasonAmy

Podcast: 嬷

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 嬷

Usage Notes

Be cautious when using 嬷, as it may sound outdated or overly formal in modern contexts. It is primarily used in specific dialects, so it may not be understood universally. Common collocations with 媽 (mā) include 妈妈 (māmā), meaning 'mom', so using the more common term is advisable in daily conversation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 嬷 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, students at HSK Level 1 should focus on mastering 妈 (mā) first, as it is essential for everyday communication regarding family. Understanding 嬷 can provide deeper linguistic insights into the evolution of language in different regions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 嬷 with 妈 and use it incorrectly in modern contexts. For example, saying '我爱我的嬷' instead of '我爱我的妈' (I love my mother) may lead to confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 嬷

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Etymology of 嬷

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 女 represents the meaning and 麽 represents the sound. Simplified form of 嬤.

Memory Hint

woman

Semantic (meaning)女
+
Phonetic (sound)麽
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 嬷

Phonosemantic compound. 女 represents the meaning and 麽 represents the sound. Simplified form of 嬤.

  1. 1The meaning half女 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half麽 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywoman
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 嬷? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 嬷?

Decomposition of 嬷

IDS Structure⿰女麽
嬷Full Character
=
女nü3
left
麽me5
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 嬷?

How to say mother in Chinese

“mother” in Chinese is嬷mó

The character 嬷 (mā) is a dialectal or obsolete term that serves as an equivalent to the more commonly used 媽 (mā), meaning 'mother' in Mandarin. It may be found in certain regions or historical texts but is not widely used in contemporary language. Understanding this term enhances comprehension of regional dialects and historical literature.

When to use 嬷

Be cautious when using 嬷, as it may sound outdated or overly formal in modern contexts. It is primarily used in specific dialects, so it may not be understood universally. Common collocations with 媽 (mā) include 妈妈 (māmā), meaning 'mom', so using the more common term is advisable in daily conversation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 嬷 with 妈 and use it incorrectly in modern contexts. For example, saying '我爱我的嬷' instead of '我爱我的妈' (I love my mother) may lead to confusion.

Write 嬷

嬷

Practice writing 嬷 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 嬷

嬷 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

" 是为了钱男人家才娶她们的, "____嬷断然说.

" Men mahys dem fer dey money,'said Mammy firmly.

Example Sentences for 嬷 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
" 是为了钱男人家才娶她们的, "嬷嬷断然说.

" " shì wéi le qián nán rén jiā cái qǔ tā mén," de , " mó mó duàn.

" Men mahys dem fer dey money,'said Mammy firmly.

Word Family of 嬷

Words Containing This Character2
嬷嬷wet nurse嬤嬤
嬷māTaiwan pr. [mā]嬤
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 嬷嬷 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 嬷

No, 嬷 is not commonly used today and is considered dialectal or obsolete.

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