Japanese Calendar & Time Kanji Guide: 週 (Week), 曜 (Weekday), 毎 (Every), 期 (Period) & 晩 (Night)
Why does 曜 (Weekday) look so intimidating with 18 strokes, and how do 週 (Week), 毎 (Every), 期 (Period), and 晩 (Evening) fit together in Japanese schedules?
Look at 曜 (Weekday — yō): at 18 strokes, it is the highest-stroke-count kanji in JLPT N5. Yet once you see that it is just 日 (Sun) + 羽 (Wings) + 隹 (Bird) — a winged bird flying toward the sun — you can read and write it in seconds!
Quick Comparison: 週 (Week) vs. 曜 (Weekday) vs. 毎 (Every) vs. 期 (Period of Time)
Compare the five calendar and time kanjis in the breakdown table below:
| Kanji & Meaning | Primary Readings (Bold = Primary) | Shibashi Visual Mnemonic Hook | Common Compound Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 週 — Week | On: しゅう Kun: — |
辶 (Road) + 周 (Lap around a stadium) = a 7-day lap = WEEK (shū). | 毎週 (まいしゅう) — every week |
| 曜 — Weekday | On: よう Kun: — |
日 (Sun) + 羽 (Feathers/Wings, yo-yo!) + 隹 (Bird) = winged celestial bird of the sun = WEEKDAY (yō). | 日曜 (にちよう) — Sunday |
| 毎 — Every | On: まい Kun: ごと |
𠂉 (Roof awning) over 母 (Mother) = a mother caring for her family EVERY single day = EVERY (mai). | 毎朝 (まいあさ) — every morning |
| 期 — Period of Time | On: き, ご Kun: — |
其 (Woven basket on a stand) + 月 (Moon/Month) = a fixed cycle of moons = PERIOD OF TIME / TERM (ki / go). | 期間 (きかん) — period, term, interval |
| 晩 — Late Evening | On: ばん Kun: — |
日 (Sun) + 免 (Escape/Excuse) = when the sun escapes below the horizon = EVENING / NIGHT (ban). | 晩 (ばん) — evening |
Side-by-Side Illustrated Kanji Flashcards (Tap Readings for Audio)
Compare the custom Shibashi artwork for 曜 (Weekday) and 晩 (Late Evening) below. Notice how each illustration embeds both the English meaning and the primary Japanese reading directly into the scene, and tap any reading to hear native pronunciation:
Step-by-Step Visual Breakdown & Radical Rules
See how 毎 (Every — mai) combines with all the other time kanjis:
1. 週 (Week) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: しゅう | Kun'yomi: —
Shibashi Visual Story: “At the end of each week, grandpa puts on his best shoes (しゅう) and rides to church.” Key visual distinction: 辶 (Road) + 周 (Lap around a stadium) = a 7-day lap = WEEK (shū).
- 毎週 (まいしゅう): every week
- 来週 (らいしゅう): next week
- 先週 (せんしゅう): last week
2. 曜 (Weekday) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: よう | Kun'yomi: —
Shibashi Visual Story: “If it’s a weekday, you may be working at this new fancy Yogurt (よう) Headquarters...” Key visual distinction: 日 (Sun) + 羽 (Feathers/Wings, yo-yo!) + 隹 (Bird) = winged celestial bird of the sun = WEEKDAY (yō).
- 日曜 (にちよう): Sunday
3. 毎 (Every) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: まい | Kun'yomi: ごと
Shibashi Visual Story: “The two mice (まい) look out the window every day and dream that someday they will go to/top (ごと) of Mt. Fuji.” Key visual distinction: 𠂉 (Roof awning) over 母 (Mother) = a mother caring for her family EVERY single day = EVERY (mai).
4. 期 (Period of Time) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: き, ご | Kun'yomi: —
Shibashi Visual Story: “There was a period of time when goats (ご) in kimonos (き) tried to conquer the world...” Key visual distinction: 其 (Woven basket on a stand) + 月 (Moon/Month) = a fixed cycle of moons = PERIOD OF TIME / TERM (ki / go).
- 期間 (きかん): period, term, interval
5. 晩 (Late Evening) — Mnemonic Story & Readings
On'yomi: ばん | Kun'yomi: —
Shibashi Visual Story: “Ever since the girl got banned (ばん), she just sits at home all evening, staring into the wall.” Key visual distinction: 日 (Sun) + 免 (Escape/Excuse) = when the sun escapes below the horizon = EVENING / NIGHT (ban).
Essential Japanese Vocabulary Words Using 週 / 曜 / 毎 / 期
Once you can recognize 週 (Week) and 曜 (Weekday) and 毎 (Every) individually, lock them into your active reading vocabulary with these high-frequency Japanese words from the Shibashi app:
| Japanese Word | Hiragana Reading | English Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 毎週 | まいしゅう | every week | JLPT |
| 来週 | らいしゅう | next week | JLPT |
| 先週 | せんしゅう | last week | JLPT |
| 日曜 | にちよう | Sunday | JLPT |
| 毎朝 | まいあさ | every morning | JLPT |
| 毎月 | まいつき | every month | JLPT |
| 期間 | きかん | period, term, interval | JLPT |
| 晩 | ばん | evening | JLPT |
5-Second Memory Summary: How to Never Mix Up 週 & 曜 & 毎 Again
曜 (Weekday) = Sun (日) + Wings (羽) + Bird (隹). 毎 (Every — mai) attaches to the front of any time unit: 毎日 (mainichi — every day), 毎週 (maishū — every week), 毎月 (maitsuki — every month), and 毎晩 (maiban — every night)!
