mẹ nuôi
Definition
- Noun:
- Adoptive mother: A woman who raises and cares for a child as her own, though she is not the child's biological mother. This relationship is typically formalized through legal adoption or established through long-term care and mutual recognition.
- Foster mother: A woman who temporarily cares for and raises a child who is not her biological offspring, often within an official or informal fostering arrangement.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Cô ấy là mẹ nuôi của tôi. (She is my adoptive mother.)
- Mẹ nuôi đã chăm sóc tôi từ khi tôi còn nhỏ. (My foster mother has taken care of me since I was little.)
- Họ đang làm thủ tục để bà ấy trở thành mẹ nuôi hợp pháp. (They are completing the procedures for her to become the legal adoptive mother.)
Advanced Usage
- The term can imply deep emotional bonds and responsibilities equivalent to those of a biological mother, regardless of legal status.
- It is used respectfully and affectionately, similar to "mother."
Variants and Related Words
- Bố nuôi / Cha nuôi (n): Adoptive father.
- Bố nuôi tôi rất nghiêm khắc. (My adoptive father is very strict.)
- Con nuôi (n): Adopted child / Foster child.
- Họ có hai người con nuôi. (They have two adopted children.)
Synonyms
- Adoptive mother
- Foster mother
Related Idioms
- Mẹ nuôi con bằng trái tim, không bằng máu mủ: A saying meaning "A mother raises a child with her heart, not with blood," highlighting that maternal love is defined by care, not biology.
- Câu chuyện về bà ấy minh chứng cho câu 'mẹ nuôi con bằng trái tim, không bằng máu mủ'. (Her story proves the saying 'a mother raises a child with her heart, not with blood.')