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舅妈 (jiù mā) — aunt (wife of one's mother's brother)

Definition

舅妈 is your mother's brother's wife (maternal uncle's wife). Contrast with 姨妈 (yíma), your mother's sister — both are maternal aunts, but 舅妈 is the wife of 舅舅.

noun
aunt (wife of one's mother's brother)
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 舅妈。
    Wǒ míng tiān qù kàn jiù mā.
    I'm going to visit my aunt tomorrow.
  • 舅妈。
    jiù mā Zuò de cài hěn hǎo chī.
    My aunt's cooking is very delicious.
  • 舅妈。
    Wǒ jiù mā shì gè hěn shàn liáng de rén.
    My aunt is a very kind person.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

舅jiùmother's brother
妈māwoman

Combines 舅 (mother's brother) with 妈 (woman) to name the wife of the maternal uncle.

Characters in this word

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
男男nánmale; man
Sound part声符shēngfú
臼
臼jiù舅jiù
Same sound today

舅 combines 男, meaning male or man, with 臼, which gives the sound.

Open 舅 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 媽; 妈 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚ
Sound part声符shēngfú
馬
馬mǎ媽mā
Same sound today

The traditional form 媽 pairs 女 (woman) with 馬, which gives the sound. The simplified 妈 is a later shorthand.

Open 妈 →
Appears in
Family & Kinship

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