How to say "mama" in Japanese

• ママJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe usual familiar word for one's mother, matching 'mommy' or 'mama'; children use it in direct address, and it stays natural in casual family talk.
  ママのミルクはもう飲のんだでちょ？泣なかないでネンネしてくだちゃ〜い。↗

  You've already drunk mummy's milk. Don't cry, please go sleepy-sleep.
• おかん
  nounA familiar 'mom' characteristic of Kansai speech; warm and homely, it is regional rather than a neutral choice outside western Japan, and it is normally written in kana.
• ちゃあちゃん
  nounBaby talk for 'mommy', belonging to very young children's speech; it is seldom the word you want in ordinary adult conversation.
• おっかさん
  nounA gruff, colloquial way to say 'mother', rougher in tone than ママ; it can sound coarse, so it is seldom the neutral word you want, and it is normally written in kana.
  「うへへ」おっかさんは首くびを振ふりながらクスクス笑わらった。↗

  "Hee hee," his mother chuckled, shaking her head.

Use 「ママ」, the common familiar 'mommy'; 「おかん」 is a Kansai variant of it; 「ちゃあちゃん」 is baby talk used by small children; 「おっかさん」 is a rougher colloquial 'mother'.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• ママmom
• おかんmom
• ちゃあちゃんmummy
• おっかさんmother