毎
- Meaning: every
- Pronunciations: mai / goto, tsune
The Kanji “毎” is a hieroglyphic character representing a woman with ornaments in her hair (母 means “mother”). It is said to derive its meaning from “a mother who has several children” and “a mother who prays in the temple every day”.
In ancient times in China where Kanji was developed, women did not cut their hair, and the hair grew longer with age. Women needed to take care of their hair usually arranged on top of the head every day, which is why the kanji “毎” means “every”.
The word “毎” has the image of a child being born one after another, suggesting prosperity.
- 毎日（まいにち）: every day
- 毎朝（まいあさ）: every morning
- 毎週（まいしゅう）: every week
The word “毎i” also means “dark”, and some kanji are derived from this meaning. For example, the kanji “海”, which is a combination of “氵(water)” and “毎 (dark)”, means “sea”. The kanji “悔”, which is composed of “忄(heart)” + “毎 (dark)”, means “regret”.
毎日、日本語を勉強します。
Mainichi, nihongo wo benkyoo shimasu.
I study Japanese every day.
毎朝、コーヒーを飲みます。
Maiasa, koohii wo nomimasu.
I drink coffee every morning.
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