Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 每 | měi |
| 各 | gè |
每 is used to denote all of a countable group. It is frequently used in time expressions to denote frequency, such as 每周 (every week) or 每月 (every month).
Which one should you use?
While 每 is used for 'every' in the sense of frequency or distribution (e.g., every day), 各 is used to mean 'each' or 'various' when emphasizing the distinctness or variety of individual members in a group.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 每 to mean 'every', it is common to use 都 before the verb to emphasize that the condition applies to every single member of the group. Additionally, unlike English, the word 每 is typically followed immediately by a measure word (classifier) when describing a noun, such as 每天 (every day) or 每个 (every/each one).
How do you pronounce it?
měi
Did you know?
- The character 每 is thought by some historians to be a depiction of a woman wearing a bamboo hairpin, signaling she was old enough to marry.
- To sound natural, speakers often add the word 都 before the verb when using 每, even though 都 also means 'all', essentially saying 'every… all' in one sentence.
Examples in context
- 我每晚洗澡。I take a bath every night.This sentence is useful for describing a nightly routine using 每.Tatoeba #707281 by Yashanti, translation #707284 by CK
- 我每天讀中文。I study Chinese every day.This sentence is useful for describing a daily study habit using 每.Tatoeba #2427414 by egg0073, translation #929061 by CN
- 火车每站都停。The train stops at every station.This sentence is useful for describing a train's stops using 每.Tatoeba #4764643 by ryanwoo, translation #43433 by jakov
- 473 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Xiaowen are talking about their morning routines.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你每早都喝咖啡吗？Nǐ měi zǎo dōu hē kāfēi ma?Do you drink coffee every morning?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen是的，我每早都要喝一杯。Shì de, wǒ měi zǎo dōu yào hē yī bēi.Yes, I have one cup every morning.
- 志强 Zhiqiang那每杯咖啡多少钱？Nà měi bēi kāfēi duōshǎo qián?Then how much is every cup of coffee?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen大概二十块钱。Dàgài èrshí kuài qián.About twenty yuan.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “every” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 各, 每, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
