Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 4: 9/18

(まい)~の(よう)Almost every ~, Nearly every ~, On a ~ basis

Structure

(まい) + Time Expression + のように

Details

  • Register

    Standard

About まい~のように

In a similar way to のように, まい~のように states that something is happening 'in the manner/way of (A)'. まい means 'every' (coming from the kanji (まい)), and will always be followed by (A). (A) being a word that expresses some kind of measurement (usually time).

まい~のように is often translated as 'almost every (A)', 'nearly every (A)', or 'on an (A) basis'.

Because よう (from the kanji (よう)) usually expresses the 'manner' in which something is existing/happening, this phrase literally highlights that something occurs 'in the manner of every (A)', and is therefore up to the interpretation of the listener as to whether the speaker means 'every', or 'almost every'.

Caution

Although みたいに and のように are regularly interchangeable, that is not the case with まい~のように. This is because みたいだ is originally an abbreviation of the more formal phrase 見たような, and therefore can sound unnatural when used to describe things that cannot be seen, like time.

Examples

--:--

    ともきさん仕事(しごと)(まえ)毎日(まいにち)のように()()った

    Tomoki-san went fishing almost every day before work.

    仕事(しごと)()ったとき毎晩(まいばん)のようにジム()

    I go to the gym nearly every night when I finish work.

    彼女(かのじょ)(かれ)出会(であ)(まえ)毎日(まいにち)のように高校(こうこう)サボっていた

    Before she met him, she used to skip school almost every day.

    (かれ)その(あと)故郷(ふるさと)毎月(まいつき)のように(かえ)った

    After that, he returned to his hometown almost every month.

    日本(にほん) 毎年(まいとし)のように(すく)なくとも(いっ)(かい)地震(じしん)()こる。

    There is at least 1 earthquake in Japan nearly every year.

  • Get more example sentences!

    Premium users get access to 12 example sentences on all Grammar Points.

Self-Study Sentences

Study your own way!

Add sentences and study them alongside Bunpro sentences.

まい~のように – Grammar Discussion