まい

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kana spelling of various words.

Counter

まい • (-mai) 

1. 枚: counter for flat thin objects or sheets

Noun

まい • (mai) 

1. 舞い, 舞: a dance

Proper noun

まい • (Mai) 

1. 真以: a female given name
2. 麻衣: a female given name
3. 舞: a female given name

Prefix

まい • (mai-) 

1. 毎: each, every (day, week, weekend, time)

Etymology 2

From earlier まじい (majī), from classical まじ (maji).

Suffix

まい • (-mai) 

1. (jodōshi, literary) will not, is not, is not, cannot be (indicates denial)

   いや、そんなことはあるまい。

   Iya, sonna koto wa aru mai.

   Uh, no, there couldn't possibly be such thing.

Usage notes

• Today largely replaced by a negative + だろう.
• In traditional Japanese grammar, this is an auxiliary verb. It is the negative form of だろう (darō) and volitional forms of verbs.
• It attaches to the terminal form of godan verbs, but the imperfective form of ichidan verbs (although the terminal form of ichidan verbs is also seen). For the irregular verbs 来る and する, all of こまい, くまい, くるまい, しまい (volitional), すまい, and するまい (conjecture) have seen in use.
• This suffix always comes last, even after ます in 丁寧語 (“polite language”). The usage with ます is dated and uncommon now.