まま

Japanese

Etymology 1

From 儘(まま) (mama, “the same, unchanged state”, noun).

Pronunciation

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

Particle

まま • (mama) 

1. (usually after the perfective form of a verb) as it is; remaining in a certain state; while still

   立(た)ったまま寝(ね)てしまう

   tatta mama nete shimau

   to fall asleep while still standing

   • 2014, “夜明けと蛍”, 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

2. (literary, writing, usually in a letter) Expressing the intention of explaining a reason; because

   Synonyms: によって (ni yotte), ので (node)

   是(ぜ)非(ひ)一(いち)度(ど)お目(め)にかかりたきまま、御(お)都(つ)合(ごう)の程(ほど)お聞(き)かせ願(ねが)えれば幸(こう)甚(じん)に存(ぞん)じます。

   Zehi ichido o-me ni kakaritaki mama, o-tsugō no hodo o-kikase negaereba kōjin ni zon jimasu.

   If it's not too much trouble, I would be greatly honored if we could meet in person once. [Therefore,] if you could let me know your availability, it would be much appreciated.

Etymology 2

Hiragana form of ママ (mama).

Pronunciation

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

Noun

まま • (mama) 

1. Hiragana form of ママ

Etymology 3

For pronunciation and definitions of まま – see the following entries.

【乳母】 [noun] wet nurse

【崖】S [noun] [759–???] (archaic, possibly obsolete) steep slope or incline; collapsed part of a levee or embankment

【真間】 [proper noun] A town in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

【継】S [noun] stepmother; state of being a stepmother [prefix] step-; half- (related through only one parent)

【間間】 [adverb] sometimes, occasionally; from time to time [noun] gap, interval Alternative spelling 間々

【飯】4 [noun] (Tsugaru) cooked rice [noun] (childish) Alternative form of 飯 (manma) 【飯まんま】4 [noun] (childish) cooked rice

(This term, まま, is the hiragana spelling of the above terms.) For a list of all kanji read as まま, see Category:Japanese kanji read as まま.)