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老娘 (lǎo niáng) — one's mother (often used by the speaker referring to their own mother; also grandmother in some dialects); traditional midwife (historical/regional usage); self-address of a middle-aged or older woman (assertive, sometimes combative tone)

Definition

Literally 'old mother', but in speech 老娘 is usually a brash, combative self-reference by a middle-aged or older woman ('I, your old lady!'). It is NOT a polite way to talk about one's own mother — use 妈妈 for that.

noun
one's mother (often used by the speaker referring to their own mother; also grandmother in some dialects)traditional midwife (historical/regional usage)self-address of a middle-aged or older woman (assertive, sometimes combative tone)

Examples

  • 老娘，。
    Wǒ lǎo niáng jīn nián qī shí duō le, shēn tǐ hái bú cuò.
    My mother is over seventy this year and still in good health.
  • 老娘，？
    lǎo niáng Huó le dà bàn bèi zi, shén me méi jiàn guò?
    I've lived most of my life — what haven't I seen?
  • 老娘。
    Yǐ qián cūn lǐ shēng hái zi dōu kào jiē shēng lǎo niáng.
    Back then, having a baby in the village depended on the midwife.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

老lǎofamiliar
娘niángmother

老娘 refers to one's mother or grandmother, with 老 giving a familiar, respectful tone before 娘.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 老 combines 人 (man), 毛 (hair), and 匕 (cane), showing a man with long hair leaning on a cane.

Open 老 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚ
Sound part声符shēngfú
良
良liáng娘niáng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

娘 is built from 女 (woman) and 良, which supplies the sound.

Open 娘 →
Appears in
Family & Kinship

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