毎・まい (every)

• Reading: まい
• Romaji: mai
• Formation: 毎 + Time unit noun
• Kanji breakdown: 毎 — every, each

Meaning

A prefix meaning 'every' that attaches to units of time to express regular repetition or habitual occurrence.

まい is a highly common prefix that combines with time-related nouns to express regularity: 毎日 (every day), 毎週 (every week), 毎月 (every month), 毎年 (every year), 毎朝 (every morning), 毎晩 (every evening). These compounds function as adverbs of frequency and typically appear at the beginning of a sentence or before the verb phrase. Unlike English 'every,' which can modify any noun, まい is restricted to time-related words in Japanese. For non-time expressions like 'every person,' Japanese uses 全ての or 各 instead. The resulting compounds often function without any particle, directly modifying the verb: 毎朝ジョギングする (I jog every morning). Note that some compounds have irregular readings: 毎日 is まいにち (not まいひ), and 毎月 can be read as まいつき or まいげつ.

Examples

1. 毎朝六時に起きています。 I wake up at six every morning.
2. 毎週日曜日に家族で出かける。 We go out as a family every Sunday.
3. 毎月の給料日を楽しみにしている。 I look forward to payday every month.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 毎日三十分歩くようにしている。
• 毎晩寝る前に本を読む。
• 毎年夏は海に行きます。
• 毎週水曜日にピアノを習っている。

Don't Say

• 毎人が意見を言いました。(毎 does not attach to non-time nouns — say 全員 or 一人一人) → 全員が意見を言いました。
• 毎の日、勉強します。(毎日 is one compound word, not 毎 + の + 日 — say 毎日) → 毎日勉強します。

Origin & History

From the Chinese character 毎 (měi), meaning 'each' or 'every.' It entered Japanese through Chinese literary influence and has been used as a productive prefix for time expressions since the classical period.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal