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March 24, 2026
母mǔ(mu3)
The character 母 (mǔ) primarily means 'mother' and can also refer to elderly female relatives or the female of animals. It is commonly used in family contexts and symbolizes nurturing and origin, making it a fundamental term in discussions about family and lineage.
Strokes5Radical母Frequency#2300DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of motherhood is highly revered, often associated with respect and gratitude towards one's parents. The term 母 is frequently used in traditional expressions of filial piety.
Memory Tip
Think of the character 母 (mǔ) as a drawing of a mother cradling a child, with the strokes representing her protective embrace. The pronunciation 'mǔ' sounds like 'moo,' which can remind you of cows, a common female animal.
Meanings of 母
mǔ(mu3)
1mother
2elderly female relative
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 母
母Simplified
5Strokes
母Radical
名形词xíngróngcíadj-noun (adj.-n.)Part of Speech
#2300Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 母
Podcast: 母
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AI Study Notes for 母
Quick Contrast
母 (mother) vs 妈 (mā, mom) — use 母 for formal or general references to 'mother', while 妈 is more casual and affectionate.
Memory Mnemonic
Think of the character 母 (mǔ) as a drawing of a mother cradling a child, with the strokes representing her protective embrace. The pronunciation 'mǔ' sounds like 'moo,' which can remind you of cows, a common female animal.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 母 (mǔ) with 妈 (mā), which also means mother but in a more informal context. This character is more formal and can be used in compound words such as 母亲 (mǔqīn) for 'mother' and is also used in terms of female animals like 母鸡 (mǔjī) for 'hen.'
HSK Study Tips
Although 母 is not officially part of HSK levels, it connects well with HSK 1 vocabulary like 家 (jiā, family) and 亲 (qīn, relative). Students should focus on its pronunciation and usage in family-related vocabulary.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of motherhood is highly revered, often associated with respect and gratitude towards one's parents. The term 母 is frequently used in traditional expressions of filial piety.
Common Mistakes
Learners may mistakenly write 母 with an incorrect stroke order, such as starting with the horizontal line instead of the vertical. Remember to start with the vertical stroke first for correct formation.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 母
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Grammar Patterns of 母
母 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 6 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.
You know you can phone me — here's my mother'snumber.
Cultural Notes for 母
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, the concept of '母' (mother) is deeply revered. Mothers are often seen as the heart of the family, symbolizing nurturing and support.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of motherhood is highly revered, often associated with respect and gratitude towards one's parents. The term 母 is frequently used in traditional expressions of filial piety.
📜Proverb
‘母亲是伟大的’ translates to ‘A mother is great,’ emphasizing the immense respect and gratitude often given to mothers in Chinese society.
Word Family of 母
Compounds13
每mei3each
姆mu3female tutor (old)
拇mu3thumb; big toe
呣m2interjection or exclamation indicating a question
苺
毑
牳
鉧mu3cauldron, kettle, pot
坶mu3mud, mire; to paste, to plaster
栂
砪
胟
袰
Words Containing This Character20
母亲mǔqīnmother母親
父母fùmǔparents
母mǔmother
字母zìmǔletter (of the alphabet)
祖母zǔmǔfather's mother
圣母the Virgin Mary聖母
母女mǔnǚmother-daughter
母子mǔzǐmother and child
母乳mother's milk
母校alma mater
母鸡mǔjīhen母雞
母爱maternal love母愛
水母jellyfish
母体matrix母體
继母jìmǔstepmother繼母
母亲节Mother's Day母親節
岳母yuèmǔwife's mother, mother-in-law
航空母舰aircraft carrier航空母艦
母语mǔyǔnative language母語
生母natural mother
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 每 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 母
Common phrases that include 母 (mǔ) are '母亲' (mǔqīn), meaning 'mother,' and '母牛' (mǔniú), meaning 'female cow.' These phrases highlight the use of 母 to signify femininity or family ties.
In Chinese, 母 (mǔ) is used to describe female animals. For example, '母鸡' (mǔjī) means 'hen,' while '母马' (mǔmǎ) means 'mare.' This usage helps distinguish between male and female in animal species.
母 (mǔ) means 'mother' in Chinese. It can also refer to an elderly female relative or denote the female of animals. Additionally, it can indicate the origin or source of something.
To use 母 (mǔ) in a sentence, you can say '我妈妈是最好的母亲' (Wǒ māmā shì zuì hǎo de mǔqīn), which means 'My mom is the best mother.' It's often used to denote familial relationships and can be combined with other characters to form words related to motherhood.
母 (mǔ) is more formal and refers to 'mother' in a broader sense, while 妈 (mā) is an informal term used mainly in conversation.
Yes, 母 is used to denote female animals, such as in 母狗 (mǔgǒu) for 'female dog'.
