まい

まい Japanese Grammar Lesson

Grammar Type: Prefix

Essential Meaning: Every / Per

Construction: 

• 毎まい + Time Noun
  • E.g. 毎日まいにち[Every day]
  • E.g. 毎晩 まいばん [Every evening]

Notes:

• 毎まい is a prefix that means “Every” and is used with direct time nouns (e.g. “Second“, “Hour“, “Day”) or nouns that imply a particular time (e.g. “Meal“, “Evening“).

• 毎まい cannot be used with nouns that are not associated with a particular time (e.g. “Person“, “House“). Instead, すべての can be used in such cases.
  • E.g. *毎まい家いえ [Every house] 毎まい is not used with nouns that do not imply a time. In this case, すべての家いえ would be an appropriate phrasing.

• 毎まい is also not used with nouns that are preceded by numbers (e.g. “Three days“, “Two years“, “One week“) or with specific dates / holidays (e.g. “Christmas“, “Valentine’s Day“). ごとに / おきに is appropriate in such cases.
  • E.g. *毎まい三日みっか[Every 3 days] 毎まい is not used with number + time phrases. In this case, 三日みっかごとに would be appropriate.
  • E.g. *毎まいクリスマス [Every Christmas] 毎まい is not used with specific dates such as holidays. In this case, クリスマスごとに would be OK.

• Lastly, 毎まい is typically used with short words (1-2 syllables) such as 週しゅう [Week] or 日にち [Day]. It sounds awkward to use 毎まい with longer words.

Example Sentences:

私わたしは毎日まいにち1マイル泳およぐ。[I swim 1 mile every day.]

ひろしは毎晩まいばん道男みちおに電話でんわしているそうだ。[I heard that Hiroshi calls Michio every night.]

台風たいふうは毎時まいじ２０キロの速はやさで北きたに進すすんでいる。[The typhoon is preceding North at a speed of 20 KMH.]

私わたしは毎年まいとし一度いちどは日本にほんへ行いく。[I go to Japan once every year.]

ジーンは毎食まいしょくサラダを食たべる。[Jin eats salad for every meal.]

WILD Examples:

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