The word 妈妈 (māma) is formed through a process of reduplication, where the single character 妈 (mā), meaning "mother", is simply repeated. This repetition is a common and foundational method in Chinese for creating familiar, often intimate, forms of address, particularly for family members. The doubling creates a term that is softer, more affectionate, and easier for young children to articulate than the single syllable, transforming the basic concept into a warm, everyday term of direct address.