岳母
yuèmǔ
In Mandarin, mother-in-law is translated as 岳母 (yuèmǔ). Wiktionary also lists 婆婆 (pópo) and 丈母娘 (zhàngmuniáng).
Meaning: spouse's mother (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 岳母 | yuèmǔ |
| 婆婆 | pópo |
| 丈母娘 | zhàngmuniáng |
Mandarin uses different terms for mother-in-law depending on whether you are the husband or the wife, and the level of formality required.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 岳母 (yuèmǔ) literally combines the character for 'wife's side/relative' (岳) with 'mother' (母).
Which one should you use?
The terms are used to distinguish between different sides of the family: 婆婆 (pópo) refers to a husband's mother, while 岳母 (yuèmǔ) and 丈母娘 (zhàngmuniáng) both refer to a wife's mother.
Is it said differently in some regions?
While 婆婆 can mean 'grandmother' in some dialects, in the context of family relations, it is the standard way to refer to a husband's mother.
How do you pronounce it?
yuèmǔ
Did you know?
- The character 岳 in 岳母 refers to a 'high mountain', reflecting an ancient tradition of viewing the wife's family as a distant and prestigious peak to be climbed.
- In traditional Chinese culture, the relationship with the 婆婆 was historically more hierarchical and strict than that with the 岳母 because the wife moved into the husband's household.
- While 婆婆 (pópo) is the standard term for a husband's mother, it is also a very common, affectionate way to address elderly women or even domestic helpers in many parts of China.
Examples in context
- 我跟婆婆很亲近。I am very close to my mother-in-law.
- 我岳母做的饭很好吃。Wǒ yuèmǔ zuò de fàn hěn hǎochī.My mother-in-law's cooking is delicious.
- 我打算明天去看望岳母。Wǒ dǎsuàn míngtiān qù kànwàng yuèmǔ.I plan to visit my mother-in-law tomorrow.
- 你岳母最近身体好吗？Nǐ yuèmǔ zuìjìn shēntǐ hǎo ma?Is your mother-in-law feeling well lately?
Example conversation
Haoran and Yuting are discussing a weekend visit.
- 浩然 Haoran这个周末我的岳母想见你。Zhège zhōumò wǒ de yuèmǔ xiǎng jiàn nǐ.My mother-in-law wants to see you this weekend.
- 雨婷 Yuting太好了，我也想她了。Tài hǎole, wǒ yě xiǎng tā le.That's great, I miss her too.
- 浩然 Haoran我们一起去接岳母吧。Wǒmen yīqǐ qù jiē yuèmǔ ba.Let's go pick up my mother-in-law together.
- 雨婷 Yuting没问题，我们现在就走。Méi wèntí, wǒmen xiànzài jiù zǒu.No problem, let's leave now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mother-in-law” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
