まま

Japanese

Etymology 1

Alternative spellings
侭 儘

Shift from まにま (manima).

Alternative forms

• まんま (manma)

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) まま [màmáꜜ] (Odaka – [2])
• IPA^(key): [ma̠ma̠]

Noun

まま • (mama) 

1. as it is; remaining in a certain state; while; still

   チャンネルはそのままで！

   Channeru wa sono mama de!

   Stay tuned!

   (literally, “[Leave] the channel as it is!”)

   立(た)ったまま寝(ね)てしまう

   tatta mama neteshimau

   to fall asleep while still standing

   生(なま)のままでウィスキーを飲(の)む

   nama no mama de wisukī o nomu

   to drink whiskey straight

   • 2014, “夜明けと蛍 [Dawn and Firefly]”, n-buna (n-buna) (lyrics)‎^[1]:

     したいことが見(み)つけられないから
     急(いそ)いだ振(ふ)り　俯(うつむ)くまま

     shitai koto ga mitsukerarenai kara
     isoida furi utsumuku mama

     I can't find anything I want to do
     so I pretend to be in a hurry with my head down

Usage notes

• Used in phrases with the literary particle が (ga):—

  我(わ)がまま ― wa-ga-mama ― (doing) as one wants to — selfish

  言(い)われるがまま ― iwareru ga mama ― (doing) as one is told

  思(おも)うがままに生(い)きる ― omou ga mama ni ikiru ― to live freely (in accordance with whatever one thinks)

Derived terms

• 意(い)のまま (i no mama)
• ままよ (mama yo)
• ほしいまま (hoshii mama)

Phrase

まま or ママ • (mama) 

1. (writing and editing) ママ: sic, as it is

   北川(きたがわ)さんの「見(み)っけた写真(しゃしん)」〔ママ〕

   Kitagawa-san no “mikketa shashin” 〔mama〕

   Ms. Kitagawa's “finded pictures” [sic]

Etymology 2

Alternative spelling
間々

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) まま [máꜜmà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• (Tokyo) まま [màmá] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ma̠ma̠]

Adverb

まま • (mama) 

1. sometimes; occasionally; from time to time

   忘(わす)れることままある

   wasureru koto mama aru

   sometimes [I; they] forget

Etymology 3

Noun

まま • (mama) 

1. (childish) Alternative form of ママ (mama, “mama, mamma, a childish form of mother, one's female parent”)

Etymology 4

Alternative spelling
飯

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Compare Korean 맘마 (mamma).

Alternative forms

• まんま (manma)

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) まま [máꜜmà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ma̠ma̠]

Noun

まま • (mama) 

1. (childish or Tsugaru) (cooked) rice

Derived terms

• 飯(まま)借(か)り (mamakari)
• 飯事(ままごと) (mamagoto)
• 飯(ママ)子菜(コナ) (mamakona)
• 飯(まま)焚(た)き (mamataki), 飯(まま)炊(た)き (mamataki)

Etymology 5

Alternative spelling
乳母

Noun

まま • (mama) 

1. wet nurse

Etymology 6

Alternative spellings
継 庶

Prefix

まま • (mama-) 

1. related by marriage; step-

   継子(ままこ) ― mamako ― stepchild

2. related through only one parent; half-