養 母(ようぼ)

ようぼ

noun

adoptive mother; foster mother

See also: 養父(ようふ) (adoptive father)

1. adoptive mother; foster mother

A woman who has adopted a child through legal adoption, or a woman who raises a child that is not biologically hers. A formal term used in legal and family contexts.

養母(ようぼ)に育(そだ)てられた。

I was raised by my adoptive mother.

養母(ようぼ)と実母(じつぼ)の両方(りょうほう)に感謝(かんしゃ)している。

I am grateful to both my adoptive mother and my biological mother.

彼女(かのじょ)は幼(おさな)い頃(ころ)に養母(ようぼ)のもとに引(ひ)き取(と)られ、大切(たいせつ)に育(そだ)てられた。

She was taken in by her adoptive mother when she was young and was raised with great care.

The formal term for an adoptive or foster mother. Part of a family of legal/formal kinship terms distinguishing biological from adoptive relationships.

Related family terms

養父(ようふ): adoptive father
養親(ようしん): adoptive parent(s)
養子(ようし): adopted child
実母(じつぼ): biological mother
実父(じっぷ): biological father

Common collocations

養母(ようぼ)に育(そだ)てられる: to be raised by an adoptive mother
養母(ようぼ)のもとで: under the care of one's adoptive mother

Usage

A formal, written-style word most often seen in legal documents, official records, and narrative contexts (novels, biographical accounts). In everyday speech, people more commonly use 育(そだ)ての親(おや) (the parent who raised me) or simply explain the relationship.

Etymology

養(よう) (foster, raise, nurture) + 母(ぼ) (mother).

Related Words

Related: 養親(ようしん) (adoptive parent)

Related: 養子(ようし) (adopted child)

Related: 実父(じっぷ) (biological father)

Related: 養女(ようじょ) (adopted daughter)

general

Added 2026.4.1 2:20 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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