Definition
婆 is a bound morpheme (b.f.) that cannot stand alone in modern Mandarin but appears in compounds referring to older women, female kinship relations, or women in certain occupations. Common words include 外婆 (maternal grandmother), 婆婆 (husband's mother; also 'mother-in-law'), 老婆 (wife, colloquial), 媒婆 (matchmaker), and 老太婆 (old woman). The specific meaning is determined by the compound it forms.
b.f.
(bound form) old womanwoman (in certain occupations)(bound form) husband's mother (as in 婆婆)(bound form) maternal grandmother (as in 外婆)
Examples
- ，。Wǒ wàipó jīnnián qīshí suì le, shēntǐ hěn hǎo.My maternal grandmother is seventy years old this year and is in good health.
- ，。Tā pó pó zài yīyuàn gōngzuò, shì yīshēng.His mother-in-law works at the hospital and is a doctor.
- 。Zhège méipó jièshào le hěn duō duì xīnrén.This matchmaker has introduced many couples.
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