# mum, and terms for addressing kids



## PoisonedQuill

Hi, everybody. I don't know _any_ Japanese at all (well, I know... about three words), and I need to know:

1. The most common word for "mum" and "mummy".
2. Affectionate words to address kids, such as "honey", "sweetheart", etc. Not necessarily these - I just want to know what words are usually used in Japan to address a kid affectionately.

The more, the better, and please explain and/or give an English synonym to each word. I would really appreciate if you explained if the words you provide are cloying, or what kind of person would you expect to use them. In rōmaji, please (since I couldn't read kanji, etc to safe my life, nor would I know how to pronounce it). Thanks _a lot_!


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## Cereth

Hello and welcome to the japanese forum!!

I think you want to say "mommy -mamá-instead  of mummy -momia..
Well.. As far as I know some japaneses say to their *moms* the word: _*mama *_when they are child..
Mothers say "_*iiko*_" to their children , such word means "good boy/girl"

Espero no desilusionarte pero no hay palabras como "cariñito", "dulce", "honey" en japonés


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## gaer

Cereth said:


> Hello and welcome to the japanese forum!!
> 
> I think you want to say "mommy -mamá-instead of mummy -momia..
> Well.. As far as I know some japaneses say to their *moms* the word: _*mama *_when they are child..
> Mothers say "_*iiko*_" to their children , such word means "good boy/girl"
> 
> Espero no desilusionarte pero no hay palabras como "cariñito", "dulce", "honey" en japonés


(Mum/Mummy in EE = Mom/Mommy in AE, so the question makes sense in English.)

Gaer


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## PoisonedQuill

Thank you (for your welcome and your answer)! <gaer> is right, btw, I meant "mummy" meaning "mommy" (the first in British English, the second in American English) not the monster.



> Espero no desilusionarte pero no hay palabras como "cariñito", "dulce", "honey" en japonés


Well, I wouldn't say I'm dissapointed but I'm certainly surprised. "Iiko" is good enough for me, but I'd like to know more words, if they exist. As for "mama", I knew that, but I was wondering if there was any other way... (I should've specified, sorry), because I want a Japanese kid to call someone "mum" (in Japanese) without the other characters (who doesn't have a clue of Japanese) knowing what it means, and "mama" is way too obvious. Any idea? Thanks!


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## Flaminius

The most common word for mummy is okāsan.  Slightly less common but you can drop the initial "o" to say kāsan.  The imported mama, if I am not too prejudiced in my upbringing, is less common than the two.

I doubt īko (good child) can be used as an address for kids.  Affectionate address for a child is usually made from his first name or its contraction combined with various titles such as -chan, -tan, -kun and so forth.


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## PoisonedQuill

Ok, Flaminius, thank you very much!

I still accept suggestions (it never hurts to learn something new), but for the moment I can manage with that. Really, thanks!


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## etudian

I have the impression that mama is quite common among very small kids.  But as they grow, more and more switch to okaasan or other variations.


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## gaer

etudian said:


> I have the impression that mama is quite common among very small kids. But as they grow, more and more switch to okaasan or other variations.


This is a bit like "momy/mummy". As people get older, they almost never use these words. They sound very childish. But mum/mom is fine.


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## PoisonedQuill

I supposed so. Which age d'you guys reckon kids stop calling their mothers "mama" and start using "okāsan" instead (aprox)? And what do "-chan", "-tan" and "-kun" mean? Thank you all for your answers.

Keep the suggestions coming!


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## Flaminius

PoisonedQuill said:


> [W]hat do "-chan", "-tan" and "-kun" mean?


They don't have much meaning except that they are suffixed to names to make diminutives (something like Europrean -ette, -īte, -le, -ie etc.).


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## PoisonedQuill

Ok, flaminius, thanks a lot!


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