母 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
母 means mother — simple as that. The tricky part for learners isn't the meaning but the politeness: Japanese uses different words depending on whose mother you're talking about.
- はは is your own mother, used when speaking about her to other people. It's plain and slightly humble, which is exactly right when referring to your own family to outsiders.
- お母さん (おかあさん) is the polite, warm word. You use it for other people's mothers, and also when addressing or referring to your own mother at home.
So you might say はは about your mom to a stranger, but call out お母さん! to her face. Getting this in/out distinction right is a real N5 milestone.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| kun'yomi | はは | 母 (はは, my mother), 母親 (ははおや, mother) |
| on'yomi | ボ | 母国 (ぼこく, homeland), 祖母 (そぼ, grandmother), 母語 (ぼご, native language) |
The familiar rule of thumb applies here too: the kun'yomi (はは) shows up when 母 stands more or less on its own, while the on'yomi (ボ) appears inside two-kanji compounds like 母国 and 祖母. One big exception to keep in your back pocket: お母さん is read おかあさん — not "おははさん." It's an irregular, special reading you simply memorize.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 5. Watch the order carefully — the two interior dots are written last, after the main enclosing strokes, not before.
- Radical: 母 is its own radical, the "mother" radical (はは / なかれ). It's a compact, self-contained shape, so you'll usually meet 母 as a whole character rather than squished into a corner.
A quick warning: don't confuse 母 with 毎 ("every," as in 毎日 "every day"). They look almost identical, but 毎 has an extra lid-like stroke on top. 母 = mother (5 strokes); 毎 = every. Lining them up side by side once is the fastest way to lock in the difference.
Common words using 母
Notice the reading split in action: standalone 母 and the compound 母親 take はは, while 母国, 祖母, and 母語 all flip to ボ. And お母さん stays its own special irregular おかあさん — the one to memorize.
Example sentences
ヤッタンの母は犬の絵がとても上手です。
ヤッタンの はは は いぬの えが とても じょうずです。
Yattan's mother is very good at drawing dogs.
母 = はは, the kun'yomi — talking about one's own mother to others.
モチは「お母さん、ごはんは何？」と聞きました。
モチは「おかあさん、ごはんは なに？」と ききました。
Mochi asked, Mom, what's for dinner?
お母さん = おかあさん — the polite, irregular reading used to address your own mother.
先生は「日本語はみんなの母語ではありません」と言いました。
せんせいは「にほんごは みんなの ぼご では ありません」と いいました。
Sensei said, Japanese isn't everyone's native language.
母語 = ぼご — the on'yomi ボ appears inside the compound.
Quick recap
- 母 = mother; 5 strokes; it's the "mother" radical itself.
- はは = your own mother (plain/humble, when speaking to others); お母さん (おかあさん) = polite, for others' mothers or to address your own — an irregular reading.
- ボ in compounds: 母国 (ぼこく), 祖母 (そぼ), 母語 (ぼご).
- Don't mix up 母 (mother) with 毎 (every) — 毎 has an extra stroke on top.
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 母 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between はは and お母さん?
Both mean 'mother.' はは is your own mother, used plainly and humbly when talking about her to other people. お母さん (おかあさん) is polite — use it for other people's mothers, and also to address or refer to your own mother at home.
Why is お母さん read おかあさん and not おははさん?
It's a special irregular reading you memorize. The character 母 normally reads はは or ボ, but the polite family word お母さん is fixed as おかあさん.
How do I tell 母 and 毎 apart?
母 ('mother', 5 strokes) and 毎 ('every', as in 毎日) look almost the same, but 毎 has an extra lid-like stroke across the top. 母 = mother; 毎 = every.
When does 母 read ボ?
In on'yomi compounds: 母国 (ぼこく, homeland), 祖母 (そぼ, grandmother), and 母語 (ぼご, native language). Standalone 母 is the kun'yomi はは.