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March 24, 2026
姆mǔ(mu3)
The character 姆 (mǔ) refers to a woman who serves as a caretaker, particularly for young children, often in a nurturing or educational role. Traditionally, this term has been used to describe governesses or female tutors, emphasizing a caring and guiding presence in the lives of children.
Strokes8Radical女Frequency#647DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, the role of a 姆 was significant in affluent families, where they were responsible for the education and upbringing of children, reflecting the importance placed on nurturing and education in Chinese society.
Memory Tip
Imagine a mother (mǔ sounds like 'moo' as in a cow) who is nurturing her children, symbolizing the role of a governess or matron. The character 姆 has a woman (女) on the left, representing femininity, and a phonetic component on the right that sounds like 'mu,' which you can remember as the sound of a nurturing mother figure.
Meanings of 姆
mǔ(mu3)
1female tutor (old)
2woman who looks after small children
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 姆 means.
About 姆
姆Simplified
8Strokes
女Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 姆
Podcast: 姆
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AI Study Notes for 姆
Usage Notes
While 姆 is somewhat archaic, it is still understood in contexts discussing traditional roles. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with more modern terms for 'nanny' or 'childcare worker' that are more commonly used today. Note that it is generally more formal and may not be used in everyday conversation.
HSK Study Tips
Although 姆 is not classified under HSK levels, it connects well with other vocabulary related to family and education. Students should focus on the context in which this term is used, especially in historical or literary discussions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 姆 with the more commonly used 保姆 (bǎomǔ) for 'nanny' and may use it in casual conversation incorrectly. For example, saying '我找了一个姆来照顾孩子' ('I found a 姆 to take care of the children') sounds awkward; using 保姆 would be more appropriate.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 姆
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How Well Do You Know 姆?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 姆 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
姆 = 女 + 母. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 姆
IDS Structure⿰女母
姆Full Character
=
女nü3
left
母mu3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 姆?
How to say female tutor (old) in Chinese
“female tutor (old)” in Chinese is姆mǔ
The character 姆 (mǔ) refers to a woman who serves as a caretaker, particularly for young children, often in a nurturing or educational role. Traditionally, this term has been used to describe governesses or female tutors, emphasizing a caring and guiding presence in the lives of children.
When to use 姆
While 姆 is somewhat archaic, it is still understood in contexts discussing traditional roles. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with more modern terms for 'nanny' or 'childcare worker' that are more commonly used today. Note that it is generally more formal and may not be used in everyday conversation.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 姆 with the more commonly used 保姆 (bǎomǔ) for 'nanny' and may use it in casual conversation incorrectly. For example, saying '我找了一个姆来照顾孩子' ('I found a 姆 to take care of the children') sounds awkward; using 保姆 would be more appropriate.
Write 姆
姆
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Practice writing 姆 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 姆
姆 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
惠特比镇因为布拉____·斯托克著名的吸血鬼故事而名传后世。
The town of whitby was immortalised in Bram Stoker's famous Dracula story.
Example Sentences for 姆 (10)
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1
惠特比镇因为布拉姆·斯托克著名的吸血鬼故事而名传后世。
huì tè bǐ zhèn yīn wéi bù lā mǔ· · sī tuō kè zhù míng de xī xiě guǐ gù shì ér míng chuán hòu。
The town of whitby was immortalised in Bram Stoker's famous Dracula story.
2
你可以和戴维·贝克汉姆的纸板模型合影。
nǐ kě yǐ hé dài wéi· · bèi kè hàn mǔ de zhǐ bǎn mó xíng hé。
You can have your picture taken with a cutout of David Beckham.
