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🌏 Region(s): Honshu (Standard)

まい【舞・舞い】

mai

Pronunciation: [mai]

Definition

Noun

  1. Dance or dancing, especially traditional Japanese-style dancing performed for a public.

Etymology

Originally used to describe a dance consisting of moving around in circles. Derived from the nominal form of the verb まう【舞う】 mau "to dance", also linked to the verb まわる【回る・廻る】 mawaru "to turn; to revolve".

Notes

The spelling 【舞い】 mai is used more frequently in expressions (such as キリキリ舞い kirikiri mai "round and round" or 振る舞い furu mai "behaviour") and in verbal constructions, while 【舞】 mai is used to signal the noun alone.

Spelling

OrthographyForm
Kanji
舞い
Kanaまい
Romanizationmai
Pronunciation (IPA)[mai]

意味:まい【舞】、まうこと【舞うこと】

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Cite this entry: Read, Zachary. (2012, October 30). まい【舞・舞い】 : mai | define meaning. JLect: Japonic Languages and Dialects Database. Retrieved 2025, January 20, from https://www.jlect.com/entry/1416/mai/.