Meaning
mother (one's own); my mother
Nuance & Usage
母 (haha) is used when referring to your own mother to others — it is the humble/plain in-group form. When addressing your own mother directly or referring to someone else's mother, use お母さん (okaasan). This distinction is fundamental in Japanese keigo (polite language): use humble forms for your own family, honorific forms for others'. 母 appears in compounds like 母親 (hahaoya — mother), 母国語 (bokokugo — native language), and お母さん (okaasan — honorific).
Common Mistakes
The most common mistake: using お母さん when talking about your own mother to a third party. ✗ 私のお母さんは先生です。 (sounds like you're being overly honorific about your own family) ✓ 私の母は先生です。 However, you CAN say お母さん when addressing your mother directly (お母さん、ただいま！). The rule: humble when mentioning your family to outsiders; honorific when talking to or about someone else's family.
Example Sentences
母は料理が上手です。
はははりょうりがじょうずです。
My mother is good at cooking.
母から電話がありました。
ははからでんわがありました。
I got a call from my mother.
田中さんのお母さんはどんな方ですか？
たなかさんのおかあさんはどんなかたですか？
What is Tanaka-san's mother like?
Quick Quiz
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