Mother of Meng

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

A Chinese expression, meaning "an admirable teacher." Meng's father died soon after the birth of the sage, and he was brought up by his mother.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “Mother of Meng” mean?

A Chinese expression, meaning "an admirable teacher." Meng's father died soon after the birth of the sage, and he was brought up by his mother.

Is “Mother of Meng” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.