Chinlingo Chinese character: 母

"母" (mǔ) meant "mother" originally. In the Oracle Bone Script, "母" is a pictographic character, looking like a mother nursing her baby on her knees. The two points resemble nipples of the mother. Most words containing the character "母" are related to "mother". For example, "母爱" (mǔ ài) means "maternal love", and "母乳" (mǔ rǔ) means "breast milk". 

"母（mǔ）"，本义是母亲。在甲骨文中，"母（mǔ）"是一个象形字，它的字形就像一个母亲跪坐在地上给婴儿喂奶的样子。字形中间的两点似乳头。"母（mǔ）"粘合其它汉字能生成的词语多与妈妈有关。比如： "母爱（mǔ ài）"、"母乳（mǔ rǔ）"。

In modern Chinese, "母" has other two extended meanings:

在现代汉语中，"母（mǔ）"作为名词，还有两列常用的引申义：

1. one's elderly female relative 对女性长辈的称呼 

祖母 (zǔ mǔ)- grandmother

伯母 (bó mǔ)- aunt; wife of father's elder brother

岳母 (yuè mǔ) – mother-in-law; wife's mother

2. source; origin 事物的本源、根本 

母语 (mú yǔ) – mother tongue

母校 (mǔ xiào)- Alma Mater

失败是成功之母 (shī bài shì chénɡ ɡōnɡ zhī mǔ) – Failure is the mother of success. 

In addition, "母" can also be used as an adjective meaning "female", as shown in "母鸡" (mǔ jī, hen), "母牛" (mǔ niú, cow), and "母猪" (mǔ zhū, sow). 

除此之外，"母（mǔ）"还有1例形容词的常用法。它指代能生子或能下蛋的雌性动物，意思为雌性的，与雄性相对。如："母鸡（mǔ jī）"、"母牛（mǔ niú）"、"母猪（mǔ zhū）"。 

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