měi yuè: 每月 - Monthly, Every Month

• Keywords: 每月, měi yuè, every month in Chinese, monthly Chinese, per month Chinese, how to say monthly in Mandarin, Chinese time words, Chinese frequency words, 每, 月, HSK 2, Chinese for beginners
• Summary: Learn how to say “monthly” or “every month” in Chinese with 每月 (měi yuè). This comprehensive guide breaks down its simple characters, cultural relevance to key concepts like salary and rent in China, and provides 10+ practical example sentences. Discover the subtle difference between 每月 and 每个月 to master Chinese expressions of time and frequency.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): měi yuè
• Part of Speech: Adverbial Phrase / Time Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: Happening or done once a month or for each month.
• In a Nutshell: 每月 (měi yuè) is the most common and direct way to express the concept of “monthly” or “every month” in Chinese. It's formed by logically combining “every” (每) and “month” (月). You'll constantly encounter this term when discussing recurring schedules, payments, and habits, such as paying rent, receiving a salary, or attending a monthly meeting.

• 每 (měi): This character means “every” or “each”. It's a fundamental character for expressing recurrence and distribution. You'll see it in other essential time words like 每天 (měitiān - every day) and 每年 (měinián - every year).
• 月 (yuè): This character means “month” and also “moon”. Its form is a pictogram of a crescent moon. This connection is historical, as ancient calendars were based on the cycles of the moon, with each cycle lasting about a month.
• How they combine: The combination is perfectly logical. Placing 每 (every) before 月 (month) creates the meaning “every month”. This simple structure is a key pattern in Chinese for expressing frequency.

While “monthly” is a universal concept, its rhythm is particularly dominant in the structure of modern Chinese life. In China, the month is the primary unit for organizing one's economic life. Salaries (工资 - gōngzī) are almost universally paid on a monthly basis. Rent (房租 - fángzū) and utility bills are also settled monthly. Therefore, understanding and using 每月 is essential for handling basic personal finances and planning. This contrasts slightly with some Western cultures where bi-weekly pay cycles can be common. In China, the monthly salary cycle is deeply ingrained in professional and personal life, making 每月 a word you'll hear and use daily. The character 月 also carries the beautiful dual meaning of “moon,” a subtle echo of the lunar calendar (农历 - nónglì) which, while not used for business, still governs traditional holidays and cultural events, linking modern schedules to ancient traditions of timekeeping.

每月 is a neutral term that works in both formal and informal situations. It's concise and efficient.

• Finances and Bills: This is the most frequent context. Used for discussing salary, rent, subscriptions, and any recurring payment.
• Schedules and Routines: Used for describing regular meetings, appointments, or personal habits that occur on a monthly basis.
• Reports and Publications: Common in business and media for things like a “monthly report” (每月报告) or a “monthly magazine” (每月杂志).

It's slightly more formal and common in writing than its colloquial cousin, `每个月 (měi ge yuè)`. While they are largely interchangeable in speech, you are more likely to see 每月 in a contract, official notice, or news headline.

• Example 1:
  • 我们公司每月五号发工资。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī měi yuè wǔ hào fā gōngzī.
  • English: Our company pays salaries on the 5th of every month.
  • Analysis: A classic example of a fixed, recurring event. This is a very common sentence structure for rules and schedules.
• Example 2:
  • 我每月要付三千块房租。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ měi yuè yào fù sānqiān kuài fángzū.
  • English: I have to pay 3000 yuan in rent per month.
  • Analysis: Here, 每月 clearly defines the frequency of the payment obligation.
• Example 3:
  • 我们的团队每月开一次会。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de tuánduì měi yuè kāi yí cì huì.
  • English: Our team holds a meeting once a month.
  • Analysis: The pattern `每月 + Verb + 一次 (yí cì)` is extremely common for saying “do something once a month”.
• Example 4:
  • 这个健身房的会员费是每月五百元。
  • Pinyin: Zhège jiànshēnfáng de huìyuánfèi shì měi yuè wǔbǎi yuán.
  • English: The membership fee for this gym is 500 yuan per month.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates its use in describing rates and prices.
• Example 5:
  • 他每月都去乡下看望他的奶奶。
  • Pinyin: Tā měi yuè dōu qù xiāngxià kànwàng tā de nǎinai.
  • English: He goes to the countryside to visit his grandmother every single month.
  • Analysis: The addition of 都 (dōu) emphasizes the consistency of the action, meaning he never misses a month.
• Example 6:
  • 请提交一份每月工作总结。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng tíjiāo yí fèn měi yuè gōngzuò zǒngjié.
  • English: Please submit a monthly work summary.
  • Analysis: Here, 每月 functions as an adjective modifying “work summary.” This is very common in formal or business contexts.
• Example 7:
  • 我的手机套餐每月有20G流量。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de shǒujī tàocān měi yuè yǒu èrshí G liúliàng.
  • English: My phone plan has 20GB of data per month.
  • Analysis: Used to describe allocations or limits within a specific timeframe.
• Example 8:
  • 这本杂志是每月出版的。
  • Pinyin: Zhè běn zázhì shì měi yuè chūbǎn de.
  • English: This magazine is published monthly.
  • Analysis: A straightforward description of a publication's frequency.
• Example 9:
  • 我们每月至少要读一本书。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen měi yuè zhìshǎo yào dú yì běn shū.
  • English: We have to read at least one book every month.
  • Analysis: Shows how to combine 每月 with other adverbs like 至少 (zhìshǎo - at least) to add more detail.
• Example 10:
  • 政府每月公布最新的经济数据。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ měi yuè gōngbù zuìxīn de jīngjì shùjù.
  • English: The government releases the latest economic data monthly.
  • Analysis: A good example of its use in formal, official announcements and news reporting.

• 每月 (měi yuè) vs. 每个月 (měi ge yuè):
  • This is the most important nuance. They mean the same thing, but have slightly different connotations.
  • 每月: More concise, slightly more formal. Preferred in writing, contracts, and official statements.
  • 每个月: More colloquial and common in everyday speech. The measure word `个 (ge)` makes it sound a bit more conversational.
  • In practice: They are almost always interchangeable. As a beginner, you can use either, but recognizing that 每月 is the more “written” form is helpful.
• “False Friend” Mistake: 每月 (měi yuè) vs. 一月 (yī yuè):
  • This is a very common mistake for beginners.
  • `每月 (měi yuè)` = Every month (frequency).
  • `一月 (yī yuè)` = January (the name of the first month).
  • Incorrect Usage: `我一月都去健身房。` (Wǒ yī yuè dōu qù jiànshēnfáng.) This sentence is grammatically awkward and means “I go to the gym in January,” not every month.
  • Correct Usage: `我每月都去健身房。` (Wǒ měi yuè dōu qù jiànshēnfáng.) This correctly states, “I go to the gym every month.”

• 每个月 (měi ge yuè) - The colloquial equivalent of 每月, also meaning “every month.”
• 每天 (měi tiān) - Every day. Follows the exact same grammatical pattern.
• 每周 (měi zhōu) - Every week.
• 每年 (měi nián) - Every year.
• 月度 (yuèdù) - A more formal, adjectival form of “monthly.” Used in business terms like `月度报告 (yuèdù bàogào)` for “monthly report.”
• 上个月 (shàng ge yuè) - Last month.
• 下个月 (xià ge yuè) - Next month.
• 这个月 (zhè ge yuè) - This month.
• 工资 (gōngzī) - Salary/Wages. A concept intrinsically linked to a monthly cycle in China.
• 房租 (fángzū) - Rent. Another core expense typically paid monthly.