每

In Oracle Bone Script, the character depicts 女 (woman) or 母 (mother) with an added vertical or sprout-like element above, often interpreted as a hairpin or ornamental headdress.

Originally, in Oracle Bone inscriptions it was used interchangeably with 母 (“mother”), or phonetically to write other words such as 悔 (to regret, 회) and 晦 (last day of the lunar month, 회).

Over time, it settled into the meaning “each, every.”

Very frequent in compounds like:

每日 (매일) = “every day.”

每次 (매차) = “every time.”

每年 (매년) = “every year.”

每個 (매개) = “each one, every single one.”