ma

/mɑː/ (bre, ipa) · [mˈɑ] /mɑː/ (ame, ipa) · [mˈɑ] /ˈmä ˈmȯ/ (ame, mw)

ma — noun

  • masingular
  • masplural

1. an informal family word for mother, used in some homes instead of mom or mum.

1.名詞A2
釋義

an informal family word for mother, used in some homes instead of mom or mum.

例句

Diego waved from the porch and shouted, "Ma, the bus is here!"

vocative use: addressing one's mother directly

Ada saved the last peach pie slice for her ma.

possessive pattern: her ma

同義詞
  • mom

    the usual everyday American word for mother

  • mum

    the usual everyday British word for mother

  • mama

    warmer and often more child-like or traditional

  • mother

    the neutral full form, used in formal and general contexts

反義詞
  • pa

    the matching informal family word for father

文法句型

my/your/his/her ma

vocative: Ma, ...

用法筆記

Usually heard inside families or in stories that want a warm, old-fashioned, or regional voice. Distinguish from sense 2, where Ma stands before a surname for an older woman who is not your mother.

常見錯誤

❌The ma cooked dinner.
✅My ma cooked dinner.
💡'ma' is mainly used as a family word, usually with a possessive or as direct address.
❌I spoke to a ma at school.
✅I spoke to a mother at school.
💡'ma' normally means your own mother, not a generic woman with children.

2. a traditional title placed before a woman's surname when speaking to or about an

2.名詞B2
釋義

a traditional title placed before a woman's surname when speaking to or about an older woman.

例句

At the market, Brooke bought herbs from Ma Flores every Friday.

title before surname in local community speech

Children in the lane ran to Ma Chen for sticky rice cakes.

同義詞
  • Mrs

    the more standard surname title, without the small-town flavor

  • auntie

    a friendly community title in many varieties, though not always used with a surname

文法句型

Ma + surname

用法筆記

Almost always appears before a surname in stories or community speech, especially when the speaker is showing age-based respect. It does not mean the woman is the speaker's mother.

常見錯誤

❌I met a kind ma on the bus.
✅I met a kind older woman on the bus.
💡this sense is not a general noun for any elderly woman; it is a community-style title, usually before a surname.
❌Ma Johnson is Brooke's mother.
✅Ma Johnson' can simply be a respectful title for an older woman.
💡the title does not automatically show a family relationship.