毎 — Every, Each

Meaning

毎 means every or each. Attach it to a time word and you get a recurring action — no gaps, no exceptions. 毎日 (every day), 毎週 (every week), 毎月 (every month). The pattern clicks fast, and you'll use these words constantly when talking about habits and routines.

The character likely descends from a pictograph of a woman (母) wearing hairpin decorations — imagery suggesting something that recurs naturally, like a mother's daily presence. Centuries of simplification produced the current six-stroke form. The top half resembles 𠂉 (a hairpin or sprouting shoot), and the bottom echoes the radical 毋, linked to maternal figures in classical Chinese.

Japanese children learn 毎 in Grade 2, around age 7–8. Six strokes, one radical, dozens of high-frequency compounds — a small character that earns its place early.

Readings

On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings

The on'yomi is マイ (mai). This is the reading you'll encounter in nearly every compound. When 毎 opens a time word, read it as マイ — that rule holds without exception at N5 level.

毎日まいにち (mainichi) — every day
毎週まいしゅう (maishuu) — every week
毎月まいつき (maitsuki) — every month
毎年まいとし (maitoshi) — every year
毎回まいかい (maikai) — every time, every occasion

Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings

The kun'yomi is ごと (goto), used as the suffix 〜ごとに. Where マイ compounds name a recurring period (every week, every month), ごとに tends to highlight each individual unit — often with a sense of gradual change or measured progression. You'll hear it more in natural conversation than in formal writing.

日ひごとに (hi goto ni) — day by day, with each passing day
一歩いっぽごとに (ippo goto ni) — with each step
季節きせつごとに (kisetsu goto ni) — with each season, every season

Common Words & Compounds

毎 pairs productively with time-related kanji, building a large family of everyday vocabulary. Here are the most important ones by theme.

Daily & Weekly Time

毎日まいにち (mainichi) — every day (the most common 毎 word by far)
毎朝まいあさ (maiasa) — every morning
毎晩まいばん (maiban) — every evening, every night
毎夜まいよ (maiyo) — every night (more literary than 毎晩)
毎週まいしゅう (maishuu) — every week

Monthly & Yearly Time

毎月まいつき (maitsuki) — every month
毎年まいとし (maitoshi) — every year (also read まいねん mainen in formal and business contexts)

Recurring Events & Occasions

毎回まいかい (maikai) — every time, every occasion
毎度まいど (maido) — every time, always (also a Kansai greeting meaning roughly "Thanks as always!")
毎食まいしょく (maishoku) — every meal
毎時まいじ (maiji) — every hour (used in schedules and transport)

Example Sentences

毎日まいにち、日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうしています。

Mainichi, nihongo wo benkyou shite imasu.

I study Japanese every day.

彼女かのじょは毎朝まいあさコーヒーを飲のみます。

Kanojo wa maiasa koohii wo nomimasu.

She drinks coffee every morning.

毎週まいしゅう、図書館としょかんへ行いきます。

Maishuu, toshokan e ikimasu.

I go to the library every week.

毎晩まいばん、家族かぞくと夕食ゆうしょくを食たべます。

Maiban, kazoku to yuushoku wo tabemasu.

Every evening I eat dinner with my family.

毎年まいとし、桜さくらが咲さくのを楽たのしみにしています。

Maitoshi, sakura ga saku no wo tanoshimi ni shite imasu.

Every year, I look forward to the cherry blossoms blooming.

毎回まいかい、同おなじ間違まちがいをしてしまいます。

Maikai, onaji machigai wo shite shimaimasu.

I end up making the same mistake every time.

毎月まいつき、貯金ちょきんをするようにしています。

Maitsuki, chokin wo suru you ni shite imasu.

I make it a habit to save money every month.

日ひごとに寒さむくなってきました。

Hi goto ni samuku natte kimashita.

It has been getting colder day by day.

毎食後まいしょくごに薬くすりを飲のんでください。

Maishokugo ni kusuri wo nonde kudasai.

Please take your medicine after every meal.

Related Kanji

Memory Tip

Notice that 毎 looks like a busier version of 母 (mother). A mother's care comes every day — that repetition is built right into the shape.

For the reading: MAI sounds like the English word "my." Try connecting it to a personal routine — "my daily run," "my morning coffee." Once 毎日 (mainichi) sticks, the rest of the マイ compounds fall into place on their own.