Onyomi: ボ · Kunyomi: はは, も · Meanings: mother
Kanji for mother
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The kanji 母 originated as a pictograph of a woman’s body with two dots representing breasts — the ancient symbol of motherhood and nurturing. In early scripts, it directly depicted the mother as the giver of life and nourishment. Over time, the image was stylized, but it retained its deep emotional and cultural meaning — care, origin, and unconditional love. 母 embodies the idea of the one who gives birth, feeds, and raises — the source of life and warmth in every home.
Originally a pictograph of a woman with breasts, 母 represents the mother — the giver of life, care, and nurturing love.
This kanji declares: from the figure with two nurturing marks comes life — 母 means mother, the one who gives and sustains all.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 母 | はは | mother | common Noun |
| 母親 | ははおや | mother | common JLPT-N3 Noun |
| 母校 | ぼこう | alma mater | common JLPT-N1 Noun |
| 母音 | ぼいん | vowel | Noun |
| 母の日 | ははのひ | Mother's Day (2nd Sunday of May) | Expressions (phrases, clauses, etc.), Noun |
| 母さん | かあさん | mother | common Noun |
| 母乳 | ぼにゅう | mother's milk | common Noun |
| 母国 | ぼこく | one's home country, one's homeland | common Noun |
| 母子 | ぼし | mother and child | common Noun |
| 母体 | ぼたい | mother's body (esp. when pregnant or after giving birth) | common Noun |