🌏 Region(s): Ryukyu (Okinawa)

まま【儘】 : mama | define meaning

mama

Pronunciation: [mama]

Definition

Noun, Suffix

As it is; as is; as; as one does
1. うぬまま【うぬ儘】
  unu mama
  "as it is"
(Suffix) (Do) as one is told (by); (do) as one says; at the mercy (of); under the control (of); subservient (to)
1. っくゎまま【子まま】
  kkwa mama
  "at the mercy of one's child"
2. とぅじまま【刀自まま】
  tuji mama
  "(to do) as one's wife says"

Etymology

Cognate with standard Japanese まま【儘・侭】 mama "as it is".

Historical Ryukyuan attestations

沖縄語典 Okinawa goten (Okinawan language dictionary) (1896), by Masayo Nakamoto, records "「まま」儘（ママ）、任、隨トオリ".

Spelling

Orthography	Form
Kanji	儘
Kana	まま
Romanization	mama
Pronunciation (IPA)	[mama]

意味：まま【儘・侭】、とおり【通り】、まにま【随・隨】、いうなり【言うなり】、いいなり【言いなり】

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儘

Tags: Okinawan Language, Uchinaaguchi, Ryukyuan Languages, 沖縄方言, 沖縄語, うちなーぐち, 沖縄口, 琉球方言, 琉球語...

Cite this entry: Read, Zachary. (2025, July 5). まま【儘】 : mama | define meaning. JLect: Japonic Languages and Dialects Database. Retrieved 2026, October 12, from https://www.jlect.com/entry/7246/mama/.