How to say "mother" in Japanese

• 母ははJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounThe humble word for your own mother, used when mentioning her to someone outside the family in polite conversation; it is not used for the listener's mother.
  でもさ、母ははを連つれて行いかなくてはいけないんだ。↗

  But, I have to take my mother.
• 母親ははおやJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe neutral word for a mother as a person or family role, with neither humble nor honorific coloring; use it when describing someone's mother or mothers in general rather than addressing your own.
  その女の子おんなのこは彼女かのじょの母親ははおやと似にている。↗

  The girl resembles her mother.
• おふくろCommon
  nounA colloquial term for one's own mother, suited to relaxed conversation with friends; it is usually written with kana alone rather than in kanji.
  お袋ふくろの前まえではそのことに触ふれるな。↗

  Don't talk about it in my mother's presence.
• お母さんおかあさんJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounThe respectful term for a mother: use it to address your own mother directly — the "mom" or "ma" sense — and to refer politely to someone else's mother.
  お母かあさんに口答くちごたえしてはいけませんよ。↗

  Don't answer your mother back.
• 母さんかあさんCommon
  nounA shortened, affectionate form of お母さん, used within the family to address or speak of one's own mother; it is a warm household word, not a neutral way to talk about mothers in general.
  君きみをみていると母かあさんを思い出おもいだす。↗

  You remind me of my mother.

Use 母 humbly for your own mother when speaking to outsiders, 母親 neutrally for mothers in general or other people's, 「お母さん」 respectfully in direct address, 「母さん」 affectionately within the family, 「おふくろ」 casually.

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

• 母ははmother
• 母親ははおやmother
• おふくろ(one's) mother
• お母さんおかあさんmother
• 母さんかあさんmother
• ママmom
• マザーmother
• 種菌たねきんmother (fungal colony used to start fermentation)
• 母堂ぼどう(another's) mother
• オモニmother
• 女親おんなおやmother
• お母様おかあさまmother
• 母上ははうえmother
• 母君ははぎみmother
• ははごmother
• おっかさんmother
• 母様かあさまmother
• 垂乳根たらちねmother
• おかあmother
• 母なるははなるMother (as in Mother Earth, Mother Nature, etc.)
• ママンmother
• 御母みおもmother
• 令堂れいどうhome
• おかんmom
• ママさんmother
• 北堂ほくどうmother