嘿，妈妈
hēi, māma
The Chinese phrase for "hey mom" is 嘿，妈妈 (hēi, māma).
嘿，妈妈 is an informal greeting used to get the attention of one's mother.
How do you pronounce it?
hēi, māma
Did you know?
- In modern slang, calling someone 妈妈 when they are not your mother is sometimes used by fans to describe a female idol who 'takes care' of them emotionally.
- In many Chinese households, calling out to a mother using only her name or a simple 'hey' can be perceived as quite blunt or even disrespectful compared to English.
- While 嘿 is a common way to say 'hey' in modern Mandarin, it is often seen as a borrowed sound from Western languages and is much more casual than traditional Chinese greetings.
Example conversation
Haoran is calling for his mother in the kitchen.
- 浩然 Haoran嘿，妈妈，晚餐准备好了吗？hēi, māma, wǎncān zhǔnbèi hǎo le ma?Hey mom, is dinner ready?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen马上就好，浩然。mǎshàng jiù hǎo, Hàorán.Almost ready, Haoran.
- 浩然 Haoran我太饿了！wǒ tài è le!I'm so hungry!
- 晓雯 Xiaowen快来帮我摆餐具。kuài lái bāng wǒ bǎi cānjù.Come quickly and help me set the table.
