枚

• Reading: まい
• Romaji: mai
• Kanji breakdown: 枚 (mai) — counter for flat objects; 木 (tree) + 攵 (strike)
• Pronunciation: /ma.i/

Meaning

Counter for thin, flat objects such as sheets of paper, plates, tickets, and coins.

One of the most commonly used Japanese counters. Used for any thin, flat item regardless of material: paper (紙), photos (写真), plates (皿), shirts (シャツ), tickets (切符), and more. Counting: 一枚 (いちまい), 二枚 (にまい), 三枚 (さんまい). No irregular sound changes occur with this counter.

Examples

1. 紙を三枚ください。 Three sheets of paper, please.
2. 写真を二枚撮りました。 I took two photos.
3. このTシャツは一枚千円です。 This T-shirt is one thousand yen each.

Usage Guide

Context: shopping, daily life, office

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 枚 originally referred to a thin strip of wood. The left radical 木 (ki) means tree/wood, and the right component 攵 relates to striking, suggesting thin pieces cut from wood.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal