祖母
そぼ
hepburn sobo
grandmother (own family)
Part of speech · noun
Pattern visualization
Examples
- 祖母が編んでくれたセーターを着ています。I am wearing the sweater my grandmother knitted for me.
- 祖母の手料理が一番おいしい。My grandmother's home cooking is the tastiest.
Collocations
祖母 (sobo, own grandmother)おばあさん (obaasan, polite / other)おばあちゃん (obaachan, affectionate)祖父母 (sofubo, grandparents)祖母の家 (sobo no ie, grandma house)
Mnemonic
Sobo is the partner of sofu — own grandmother in outside reference (on-reading, formal). Direct calling and child speech: obaasan or obaachan. Korean jomo / halmeoni / halmeonim split mirrors, plus the on / kun layer. Family essays often use sobo no tegoroi (grandma's handmade cooking) — a warmth lexical field. Sofubo (grandparents) is natural when both are alive. Beginners should memorize sofu / sobo / ojiisan / obaasan / ojiichan / obaachan as three pairs.
Quick check
Core difference between sofu/sobo and ojiisan/obaasan?