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Ubume

Folklore
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Japanese ghost of a woman who died in childbirth, often carrying a baby

Detailed Definition
Ubume asks passersby to hold her child, which then becomes heavy. In poetry, she embodies maternal grief, the burden of loss, and the haunting of unfinished care, frequently appearing in feminist or horror contexts.
Example
Example in poetry:
Ubume, Japanese ghost of childbirth, haunts maternal poetry: "Ubume stands by riverbank—holds her child, but has no face"; Poets use her to explore tragic loss: "She died in labor, now she asks—‘Will you hold my baby, please?’"; In protective verse, she symbolizes compassion: "Help Ubume, and she’ll bless yours—ghost’s gift is empathy"; Her stone offerings inspire ritual: "Travelers leave pebbles in her hands—Ubume’s burden shared becomes light"
Additional Notes
Ubume: A Japanese yūrei (ghost) of a woman who died in childbirth, appearing as a bloodied figure carrying a baby, asking passersby to hold her child—which then turns to stone or water. In poetry, she embodies maternal loss, societal neglect of mothers, and the weight of unfulfilled care. Useful in feminist or trauma verse; contrast with Pontianak for regional variations on childbirth ghosts.
Also Known As
Ghost mother Childbirth spirit
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