毎 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
At its core, 毎 means "every" or "each." Unlike many kanji, it almost never stands on its own — instead it acts like a prefix that attaches to a word, usually a unit of time, to mean "every one of these." Once you learn the pattern, a whole family of useful vocabulary opens up at once:
- 毎 + 日 (day) → 毎日 "every day"
- 毎 + 朝 (morning) → 毎朝 "every morning"
- 毎 + 週 (week) → 毎週 "every week"
That's the real payoff of 毎: learn one kanji and one reading, and you instantly understand half a dozen everyday words. Whenever you see 毎 at the front of a word, you can confidently read it "every ___."
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| on'yomi | マイ | 毎日 (every day), 毎朝 (every morning), 毎週 (every week), 毎回 (every time) |
| kun'yomi | — | (no common everyday kun'yomi) |
毎 is one of those rare, beginner-friendly kanji with no everyday kun'yomi — you really only need マイ. And because 毎 lives inside compounds (毎 + a time word), it always uses that on'yomi reading. There's no okurigana to worry about and no second reading to memorize, so the only thing to learn is which word follows it.
A small heads-up: a couple of these words have two accepted readings. 毎月 can be まいつき or まいげつ, and 毎年 can be まいとし or まいねん. Both are correct and widely used; 毎 itself stays マイ in every case.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 6, written top to bottom. Start with the short top stroke, then work down through the body, finishing with the two inner dots.
- Radical: The radical is 母 (はは, "mother"). In fact, the whole bottom portion of 毎 is 母, with an extra little stroke added across the top. That overlap is exactly why these two are so easy to mix up.
Here's the difference to lock in: 母 ("mother") has two separate dots in the middle, while 毎 ("every") adds a short horizontal stroke on top and tidies the inside. Say it to yourself: "every day I see my mother" — they look alike for a reason, but 毎 is the one with the extra cap on top.
Common words using 毎
See the pattern? In every single one of these, 毎 is read マイ and means "every," and the second kanji tells you the time unit. Learn the unit kanji (日 day, 朝 morning, 週 week, 月 month, 年 year, 回 time/occasion) and you've learned the whole set for free.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは毎日漢字を勉強します。
ヤッタンは まいにち かんじを べんきょうします。
Yattan studies kanji every day.
毎日 (まいにち) — 毎 read as マイ, meaning 'every day.'
モチは毎朝公園を走ります。
モチは まいあさ こうえんを はしります。
Mochi runs in the park every morning.
毎朝 (まいあさ) — same マイ reading, this time with 朝 'morning.'
先生は「毎週テストがあります」と言いました。
せんせいは「まいしゅう テストが あります」と いいました。
Sensei said, 'There is a test every week.'
毎週 (まいしゅう) — again 毎 = マイ, here with 週 'week.'
Quick recap
- 毎 = every / each; 6 strokes; radical is 母 ("mother").
- One reading you need: the on'yomi マイ. No common kun'yomi.
- Just prefix 毎 to a time word: 毎日, 毎朝, 毎週, 毎月, 毎年, 毎回.
- 毎月 = まいつき / まいげつ and 毎年 = まいとし / まいねん both have two accepted readings.
- Don't confuse 毎 ("every") with its lookalike 母 ("mother").
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 毎 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 毎 in 毎日?
毎 is read マイ, so 毎日 is まいにち, meaning 'every day.' 毎 almost always keeps the on'yomi マイ no matter which time word follows it.
Does 毎 have a kun'yomi?
Not one you need at N5. 毎 has no common everyday kun'yomi — you can rely on the on'yomi マイ for the words you'll actually use, like 毎日, 毎朝, and 毎週.
Why do 毎 and 母 look so similar?
They share the same lower shape because 母 ('mother') is the radical of 毎 ('every'). The difference: 母 has two separate dots inside, while 毎 adds a short horizontal stroke across the top.
Is 毎月 read まいつき or まいげつ?
Both are correct and common. 毎月 can be まいつき or まいげつ, just as 毎年 can be まいとし or まいねん. In every reading, 毎 itself stays マイ.