母: the kanji for mother
母 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means mother. Below are its readings, 14 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
母 is written in 5 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
母 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 10 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ボ (bo)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 母国ぼこく · bokoku | home country |
| 母国語ぼこくご · bokokugo | native language |
| 祖母そぼ · sobo | grandmother |
| 父母ふぼ · fubo | father and mother |
| 母校ぼこう · bokō | alma mater; one's old school |
| 母性ぼせい · bosei | motherhood |
| 分母ぶんぼ · bunbo | denominator |
はは (haha)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 母はは · haha | (my) mother |
| 母親ははおや · hahaoya | mother |
| 母の日ははのひ · Haha no Hi | Mother's Day |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 母, but their readings do not follow the readings above. The Jōyō Kanji Table lists them as special readings. Learn each one as a whole word.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| お母さんおかあさん · okāsan | mother (polite) |
| 叔母おば · oba | aunt (younger than one's parent) |
| 伯母おば · oba | aunt (older than one's parent) |
| 乳母うば · uba | nanny |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 母は大阪に住んでいます。Haha wa Ōsaka ni sunde imasu.My mother lives in Osaka.
- 母国語は英語です。Bokokugo wa Eigo desu.My native language is English.
- お母さんはお元気ですか。Okāsan wa ogenki desu ka.How is your mother?
- 母の日に花を送りました。Haha no Hi ni hana o okurimashita.I sent flowers on Mother's Day.
- 祖母は九十歳です。Sobo wa kyūjussai desu.My grandmother is ninety years old.
- 叔母は東京で働いています。Oba wa Tōkyō de hataraite imasu.My aunt works in Tokyo.
Questions about 母
How many strokes does 母 have?
母 is written in 5 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 母?
The on readings are bo (ボ). The kun readings are haha (はは).
What is the difference between 母 and お母さん?
Use 母 (haha) for your own mother when you talk to other people. Use お母さん (okāsan) for someone else's mother, or when you speak to your own mother.
What JLPT level is 母?
N5. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
People
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 母
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.