may and mei are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. may means “the month following April and preceding June”. mei means “Japanese ornamental tree with fragrant white or pink blossoms and small yellow fruits”. may is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈmeɪ/
1.n.the month following April and preceding June
2.n.thorny Eurasian shrub of small tree having dense clusters of white to scarlet flowers followed by deep red berries; established as an escape in eastern North America
/ˈmeɪ/
| may | mei | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈmeɪ/ | /ˈmeɪ/ |
| Said | may | may |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 3 | 3 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun |
| Senses | 2 | 1 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | none recorded | Japanese apricot, Prunus mume |
1.n.Japanese ornamental tree with fragrant white or pink blossoms and small yellow fruits