Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "今" vs "まいにち"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
今
いま (ima)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
まいにち
まいにち (mainichi)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 今 and まいにち are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
今 (いま (ima)) represents "now" (Level: N5) and typically represents Refers to the current moment or present time. Can be used as an adverb..
On the other hand, まいにち (まいにち (mainichi)) translates to "every day" (Level: N5) and is used for Refers to an action or event that occurs daily. A combination of 毎. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "今"
今、何をしていますか。
What are you doing now?
Bilingual Sentence for "まいにち"
私は毎日日本語を勉強します。
I study Japanese every day.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: " ＿＿＿ 、何をしていますか。" (Meaning: "What are you doing now?")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "今" fits here because it represents "now" in the context: "What are you doing now?".