If someone is motherly, they are loving and kind in the way we expect a good mother to be: they notice when you are tired, they feed you, they worry, they speak softly when you are hurt. You can call a woman motherly, but also a look, a voice, a piece of advice, a hug. The person does not have to be anyone’s mother — a teacher or an aunt can be motherly, and in a story even a man might give a motherly smile, though that last use is less common and some people will raise an eyebrow.

If someone is motherly, they are loving and kind in the way we expect a good mother to be如果一個人motherly，他就會用我們期待一位好母親會有的方式，充滿愛心、體貼: they notice when you are tired他們會注意到你累了, they feed you會餵你吃東西, they worry會替你擔心, they speak softly when you are hurt你受傷時會輕聲安慰你。You can call a woman motherly你可以說一個女人motherly, but also a look, a voice, a piece of advice, a hug也可以用來形容一個眼神、一種聲音、一句建議，或一個擁抱。The person does not have to be anyone's mother這個人不一定得是誰的媽媽 — a teacher or an aunt can be motherly老師或阿姨都可以是motherly的, and in a story even a man might give a motherly smile在故事裡甚至男人也可能露出motherly的微笑, though that last use is less common and some people will raise an eyebrow雖然這種用法比較少見，有些人聽了會挑眉。

Motherly is warmer than maternal. Maternal is the more school-and-hospital word (maternal grandfather, maternal instinct); motherly is about manner and feeling. The same form also works as an adverb (she smiled motherly), though “in a motherly way” is clearer.

Motherly is warmer than maternalMotherly比maternal更有溫度。Maternal is the more school-and-hospital word (maternal grandfather, maternal instinct)Maternal比較是學校或醫院會用的字（像maternal grandfather外公、maternal instinct母性本能）; motherly is about manner and feeling而motherly講的是態度和感覺。The same form also works as an adverb (she smiled motherly)同樣的形式也可以當副詞用（she smiled motherly她慈母般地笑了）, though "in a motherly way" is clearer不過講「in a motherly way」意思會更清楚。

Slightly literary; “kind” is what people say every day. Though actually, like motherliness, it names an ideal of care, not a rule that every mother is gentle.

Slightly literary這個字有點文學味; "kind" is what people say every day日常生活裡人們更常說「kind」。Though actually不過, like motherliness就像motherliness這個字一樣, it names an ideal of care它講的是一種理想中的照顧, not a rule that every mother is gentle而不是說每個媽媽都一定溫柔。