母親

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The written form is 母親, read ははおや. Elements for mother and parent combine in a kinship noun referring objectively to someone’s mother.
• Basic usage: 母親が毛布を掛ける makes the mother the actor, while 彼の母親 uses a possessive relation to identify whose mother is meant.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The caregiver as subject
  • The mother is the person who puts a blanket over the sleeping baby. Example: 母親が眠った赤ん坊に毛布を掛けた。 — The mother put a blanket over her sleeping baby.
• An explicitly related mother
  • The second example first identifies whose mother is meant and then states where she works. Example: 彼の母親は町の図書館で働いている。 — His mother works at the town library.