The word Mother is often described as “the most beautiful word in the world.” This is because we are born through our mother’s sacrifice, grow up in her love, and even after becoming adults, we continue to live within the bounds of her tireless devotion. The word Mother—a synonym for love and dedication—moves our hearts whenever we hear it. The emotion that word evokes transcends all national and linguistic boundaries.
Members of the Church of God wearing T-shirts with the word Mother written in different languages
In 2004, to celebrate its 70th anniversary, the British Council conducted a global survey in 102 non-English-speaking countries, collecting responses from 40,000 participants to discover “the most beautiful English word.”[1] Among the 70 words chosen, the top ten were as follows:
Rank
Word
1
Mother
2
Passion
3
Smile
4
Love
5
Eternity
6
Fantastic
7
Destiny
8
Freedom
9
Liberty
10
Tranquility
Most of the top ten words were abstract nouns, and among them, the only personal pronoun referring to a person was “Mother.” Professor Anna Wierzbicka of the Australian National University explained that people favored the top-ranked words not for their sounds, but for the concepts they represent. For example, rather than valuing “passion” as a word itself, people cherish what passion means in life.[2] In that sense, the fact that “Mother” was chosen as the most beautiful word shows that, regardless of country or language, many people regard their mothers as deeply important figures in life. It also reveals that people associate the concept of “Mother” most closely with beauty.
Characters That Mean “Mother”
Murdock, G., “Cross-Language Parallels in Parental Kin Terms,” Anthropological Linguistics, Vol. 1, No. 9, Trustees of Indiana University, 1959.
In almost every language, the first word a baby learns to say is usually “Mama.” Although languages vary greatly around the world, the words used to refer to “mother” and “father” are strikingly similar across cultures. According to research by American cultural anthropologist George Peter Murdock, out of more than 1,000 words meaning “mother” or “father” in about 470 languages, over 50% of the words for “mother” contain the sound “ma,” and over 50% of the words for “father” contain the sound “pa.”[3]
Scholars believe this is because, when infants begin to learn language, they start with bilabial sounds—those made using both lips. These simple sounds naturally became the common words for “mother” and “father.”[4] In particular, “ma” is often the first sound an infant can make, and because the mother—who is closest to the child—responds to that sound, the baby comes to recognize it as a way to call for her.
Korean Words for “Mother”
Eomma (An informal and affectionate term for “mother.”)
Mochin (A formal term for “one’s mother.”)
Eomeonim (A respectful and honorific term for “mother.”)
Seongseon (A highly respectful term used to refer to one’s mother.)
Eomi (A humble or archaic form for “mother.”)
Eomeom (A slightly more respectful form of “Eomi.”)
Jadang (A respectful way to refer to someone else’s mother.)
Modang (Another respectful term for someone else’s mother.)
Moju (A respectful title for someone else’s mother.)
Jachin (A respectful way to refer to one’s own mother when speaking to others.)
Daebuin (A very respectful title for someone else’s mother.)
Gamo (A formal way to refer to one’s own mother to others.)
Seonbi (A term used to refer to one’s deceased mother.)
Seondaebuin (A respectful term for someone else’s deceased mother.)
Eomamama (A royal term used in the palace, by the king or royal children to address their mother.)
Eomuni (Dialects of Gyeonggi, Gyeongsang, Jeolla, and Chungcheong)
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