伯母

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 伯母 is read as おば and means an aunt who is an older sibling of a parent or the wife of a parent’s older brother.
• Basic usage: The surrounding family description identifies whether the aunt is the father’s older sister or the wife of the mother’s older brother.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The father’s older sister
  • 父の姉である伯母 explicitly identifies the aunt as the father’s older sister. Example: 父の姉である伯母が週末に遊びに来ました。
• The mother’s older brother’s wife
  • 母の兄の妻である伯母 explicitly identifies the aunt through marriage. Example: 母の兄の妻である伯母に料理を教わりました。