'妈妈的' (mā ma de) is a possessive noun phrase meaning 'mom's' — indicating something belonging to one's mother. It consists of the reduplicated noun 妈妈 (mā ma), which means 'mom' or 'mother', and the particle 的 (de), which marks possession, similar to the English apostrophe-s ('s). Unlike formal written Chinese that often uses 母亲的 (mǔ qīn de), 妈妈的 is warm, colloquial, and commonly used in everyday speech and informal writing, especially by children or in family contexts.

This phrase functions as a determiner before a noun (e.g., 妈妈的衣服 — 'mom's clothes') but can also stand alone as a noun phrase when the possessed item is clear from context (e.g., 'This book is mom's'). Tone is important: both 妈 characters are first tone (mā), while 的 is neutral tone (de). The reduplication conveys affection and familiarity, making it distinctly different from the more formal or distant term 父母的 (fù mǔ de, 'parents'').