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How to say 'Mother' in Japanese | 母

Wondering how to say 'Mother' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Mother is 'Haha', written as 母 in Japanese.'Mother' in hiragana is はは.

    word

    Meaning

    Mother

    Reading

    はは

    haha

    Kanji

    Mother

    Explanation

    The Japanese noun '母 (はは)' means 'mother'. It is a formal and respectful term used to refer to one's own mother. It is commonly used in polite or formal contexts, such as when speaking to others about one's mother. For example: My mother is kind「私の母は優しい」(わたしのはははやさしい). I will call my mother「母に電話します」(ははにでんわします). Note that '母 (はは)' is more formal than 'お母さん (おかあさん)', which is used in casual or familial settings. The term carries a sense of respect and is often used in written language or formal speech.

    Part Of Speech

    noun

    Kanji JLPT

    N5

    Kanji Grade

    2

    Frequency

    224

    Composition

    kanji

    Handwriting

Kanji in the Word

This word contains 1 kanji character:

  • kanji

    Meaning

    Mother

Words Related to Through the Kanji

These 7 Words contain the Kanji 母 as well.

  • word

    お母さん

    Meaning

    Mother

  • word

    母親

    Meaning

    Mother

  • word

    伯母

    Meaning

    Aunt

  • word

    お祖母さん

    Meaning

    Grandmother

  • word

    祖母

    Meaning

    Grandmother

  • word

    父母

    Meaning

    Parents

  • word

    母子

    Meaning

    Mother and child

Learn the Word

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What does 'Haha' (母) mean?

'Haha' means 'Mother' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.