měi: 每 - Every, Each

• Keywords: mei, měi, 每, every, each, how to say every in Chinese, Chinese grammar, Chinese measure words, HSK 1, Chinese for beginners, 每…都 structure
• Summary: Learn how to use 每 (měi), one of the most fundamental words in Mandarin Chinese, meaning “every” or “each.” This guide will teach you the essential grammar rule of using 每 with measure words, a key concept for beginners. Discover how to talk about your daily routines (every day, every week) and refer to individual items in a group, with practical examples and cultural insights into why Chinese grammar is structured this way.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): měi
• Part of Speech: Determiner / Pronoun
• HSK Level: 1
• Concise Definition: Used before a noun to indicate “every” or “each.”
• In a Nutshell: 每 (měi) is the word you'll use constantly to express “every” or “each” in Chinese. Its most important rule is that it's almost always followed by a measure word before the noun. Think of it as a fixed pattern: `每 + Measure Word + Noun`. It's the cornerstone for discussing routines, frequency, and referring to all the individual members of a group.

• 每 (měi): This character is an ideogrammic compound. The top part (𠂉) can be seen as a person or lush grass. The bottom part is a variation of 母 (mǔ), which means “mother.” A popular way to remember it is to think of a mother (母) caring for each of her children, or to picture every single blade of grass growing. This visual story connects the character's form to its meaning of “each” or “every.”

While a simple grammar word, the usage of 每 (měi) reveals a core aspect of the Chinese linguistic worldview: classification. In English, you can simply say “every person” or “every book.” In Chinese, you are required to classify the noun you're talking about. The structure `每 + Measure Word + Noun` forces the speaker to be specific.

• `每个人 (měi gè rén)` - “Every individual person”
• `每一本书 (měi yī běn shū)` - “Every volume of book”
• `每一辆车 (měi yī liàng chē)` - “Every vehicle of car”

This isn't just a grammar rule; it reflects a mindset that emphasizes categorizing objects and people based on their nature. For a Western learner, mastering this concept is a key step toward thinking more naturally in Chinese and moving away from direct English-to-Chinese translation. It’s less about a deep philosophical value and more about a fundamental, built-in “cultural grammar” of specificity.

The use of 每 (měi) is ubiquitous and follows a few very consistent patterns.

• The Golden Rule: `每 + Measure Word + Noun`

This is the most common structure. You must include a measure word.

• `每个学生 (měi gè xuéshēng)` - Every student
• `每家公司 (měi jiā gōngsī)` - Every company
• Common Time Expressions

This is where you'll use 每 most often in daily conversation. Note that `天 (tiān)` is a special case that acts as its own measure word.

• `每天 (měitiān)` - Every day
• `每周 (měizhōu)` - Every week
• `每个月 (měi gè yuè)` - Every month
• `每年 (měinián)` - Every year
• The `每…都…` Structure

To add emphasis and mean “every single one… all…”, Chinese uses the `每…都 (dōu)…` pattern. `都` means “all” or “both” and reinforces that the statement applies to the entire group without exception.

• `他每天都喝茶。 (Tā měitiān dōu hē chá.)` - He drinks tea every single day.
• `这里的每个人都会说中文。 (Zhèlǐ de měi gè rén dōu huì shuō Zhōngwén.)` - Every single person here can speak Chinese.
• Specifying Frequency: `每 + Time Period + Verb + 次`

To talk about how often something happens within a time frame.

• `我每星期运动三次。 (Wǒ měi xīngqí yùndòng sān cì.)` - I exercise three times per week.

• Example 1:
  • 我 每天 早上 七点 起床。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ měitiān zǎoshang qī diǎn qǐchuáng.
  • English: I get up at 7 o'clock every morning.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of using 每 to describe a daily routine. `每天` (every day) is one of the first and most useful phrases you'll learn.
• Example 2:
  • 每个 学生 都 必须 参加 考试。
  • Pinyin: Měi gè xuéshēng dōu bìxū cānjiā kǎoshì.
  • English: Every student must participate in the exam.
  • Analysis: This sentence demonstrates the crucial `每…都…` pattern. `每个学生` singles out “every student,” and `都` confirms that the rule applies to “all of them.”
• Example 3:
  • 这家 餐厅 的 每一 道 菜 都 很 好吃。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā cāntīng de měi yī dào cài dōu hěn hǎochī.
  • English: Every single dish at this restaurant is delicious.
  • Analysis: Here, `道 (dào)` is the measure word for dishes of food. The number `一 (yī)` is often included for emphasis, meaning “every single one.”
• Example 4:
  • 他 每年 夏天 都 会 去 海边 度假。
  • Pinyin: Tā měinián xiàtiān dōu huì qù hǎibiān dùjià.
  • English: He goes to the seaside for vacation every summer.
  • Analysis: Similar to `每天`, `每年` (every year) is a fixed phrase for describing an annual routine.
• Example 5:
  • 每次 我 见到 她，她 都 在 笑。
  • Pinyin: Měi cì wǒ jiàn dào tā, tā dōu zài xiào.
  • English: Every time I see her, she is smiling.
  • Analysis: `次 (cì)` is the measure word for “time” or “occurrence.” `每次` is a very common way to say “every time” or “whenever.”
• Example 6:
  • 这趟 公交车 每十分钟 一班。
  • Pinyin: Zhè tàng gōngjiāochē měi shí fēnzhōng yī bān.
  • English: This bus comes every ten minutes.
  • Analysis: This shows how to use 每 with a specific duration (`十分钟` - ten minutes) to describe frequency.
• Example 7:
  • 老师 耐心 地 回答 了 每个 问题。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī nàixīn de huídá le měi gè wèntí.
  • English: The teacher patiently answered every question.
  • Analysis: A straightforward example using the most common measure word, `个 (gè)`, for an abstract noun like “question.”
• Example 8:
  • 我 把 这 本书 的 每一页 都 读 了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bǎ zhè běn shū de měi yī yè dōu dú le.
  • English: I read every single page of this book.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the `把 (bǎ)` structure combined with `每…都…` to emphasize the completeness of the action on the object (`every page`). `页 (yè)` is the measure word for page.
• Example 9:
  • 每逢 佳节 倍 思 亲。
  • Pinyin: Měi féng jiājié bèi sī qīn.
  • English: On every festive occasion, one thinks of one's family twice as much.
  • Analysis: This is a famous poetic line, showing that 每 is also used in literary or formal contexts. `每逢 (měi féng)` means “on every occasion of…” and is more formal than `每次`.
• Example 10:
  • 我们 公司 每个 季度 开 一次 会。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī měi gè jìdù kāi yī cì huì.
  • English: Our company holds a meeting once every quarter.
  • Analysis: This is a practical business example. `季度 (jìdù)` means “quarter (of a year),” and the structure `每 + Time Period + Verb + 一次` means “do something once per [time period]”.

• Forgetting the Measure Word: This is the #1 mistake for beginners. You cannot simply put a noun after 每.
  • Incorrect: 我喜欢 每 书。(Wǒ xǐhuān měi shū.)
  • Correct: 我喜欢 每一本书。(Wǒ xǐhuān měi yī běn shū.)
• When to use `一 (yī)`: You can often add the number `一 (yī)` between 每 and the measure word (`每一…`) for emphasis, like saying “every single one.” In many cases, `每个` and `每一个` are interchangeable, with the latter being slightly more emphatic.
• `每 (měi)` vs. `都 (dōu)`: These are not interchangeable, but they work together.
  • `每` focuses on the individual components of a group (“each”). It always comes before the noun.
  • `都` refers to the entire group as a whole (“all”). It always comes before the verb.
  • They are frequently used together in the `每…都…` structure to mean that a statement is true for each and every one of the members of a group, without exception.
• The `天 (tiān)` Exception: While most nouns need a measure word, `天 (tiān)` for “day” is the main exception. `每天` is correct; you do not say `每个天`. This is because `天` itself can function as a measure word for “day.” However, for week, month, and year, the standard measure words are often used: `每周/每个星期`, `每个月`, `每年`.

• 都 (dōu) - “All” or “both.” The essential partner to 每 in the `每…都…` grammar pattern, used to show that an action or state applies to every member of the group.
• 个 (gè) - The most common and versatile measure word in Chinese. When in doubt, it's often a safe bet. It's used frequently with 每 for people, objects, and abstract concepts.
• 各 (gè) - “Each; various.” A more formal synonym for 每. You'll see it more in writing and formal speech (e.g., `各位来宾` - “each and every guest”).
• 所有 (suǒyǒu) - “All; every single one.” Similar in meaning to the totality implied by `每…都…`, but used differently, often like an adjective: `所有的人 (suǒyǒu de rén)` - “all the people.”
• 大家 (dàjiā) - “Everybody; everyone.” A pronoun that refers to everyone in a group, often used as an alternative to `每个人`.
• 次 (cì) - The measure word for “times” or “occurrences.” Used with 每 to form `每次` (every time).
• 天 (tiān) - “Day.” Crucial for the common phrase `每天` (every day), and an important exception to the measure word rule.
• 总是 (zǒngshì) - “Always.” While 每 describes the frequency (“every day”), `总是` describes the certainty of an action, and they often express similar ideas of routine.