まい

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Japanese

Etymology 1

For pronunciation and definitions of まい – see the following entries.
【舞】S
a type of traditional Japanese dance consisting of simple and quiet movements
a female given name
【幣】S
(archaic) something offered as a reward, either to a god or a person
【枚】6
counter for flat thin objects or sheets
【毎】2
each, every, per
【真以】
a female given name
【麻衣】
a female given name
【妹】2
Same as いもうと (imōto) above
a female given name
(This term, まい (mai), is the hiragana spelling of the above terms.)
For a list of all kanji read as まい, see Category:Japanese kanji read as まい.)

Etymology 2

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

Suffix

まい • (-mai) 

  1. (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.
    No, such a thing could not be the case.
Usage notes
Inflection rules for the まい form
Word dictionary form shūshikei of godan verbs
mizenkei of other verbs		 historical kana
書く かく (kaku) かくまい (kakumai)
泳ぐ およぐ (oyogu) およぐまい (oyogumai)
話す はなす (hanasu) はなすまい (hanasumai)
待つ まつ (matsu) まつまい (matsumai)
死ぬ しぬ (shinu) しぬまい (shinumai)
呼ぶ よぶ (yobu) よぶまい (yobumai)
読む よむ (yomu) よむまい (yomumai)
作る つくる (tsukuru) つくるまい (tsukurumai)
買う かう (kau) かうまい (kaumai) かふまい
ichidan verbs (type 2)
見る みる (miru) みまい (mimai)
開ける あける (akeru) あけまい (akemai)
irregular verbs (type 3)
来る くる (kuru) こまい (komai)
くまい (kumai)
くるまい (kurumai)
きまい (kimai)
する する (suru) しまい (shimai) (volition)
するまい (surumai) (conjectural)
すまい (sumai) (formal)
せまい (semai)
  • This word is morphologically a clitic. It is classified as 助動詞 (jodōshi, “auxiliary verb”) in traditional Japanese grammar.
  • It attaches to the terminal form of godan verbs, but the irrealis 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 (-masu). (Usage with ます (-masu) is now dated and uncommon.)
  • Today largely replaced by a negative + だろう.

Etymology 3

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Alternative forms

Suffix

まい • (-mai) 

  1. (Aichi, Gifu, Mie, Shizuoka, Nagano, Nagoya, verb suffix) volitive
    Synonym: (standard) う (-u)
    行(い)こまい ― ikomai ― let's go
    やろまい ― yaromai ― let's do it

Etymology 4

Adjective

まい • (mai) 

  1. (Tsugaru) no good
    Synonym: (standard Japanese) だめ (dame)
    ○○しねばまいね。
    ○○ Shineba mai ne.
    Gotta do X.
    まいぐね？
    Maigune?
    Isn't that no good?
    • 2021 March 29, “青森の価値を生み出す人たち～株式会社クロックアップ 代表取締役 中村公一さん～”, in 青森県庁‎:
      「青(あお)森(もり)だからまいね」「なにやってもまいね」
      “Aomori dakara mai ne”“Nani yatte mo mai ne”
      (please add an English translation of this example)
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