每
every; each
měi
What does 每 mean?
每 (měi) means 'every' or 'each' — picking out all members of a group one by one. The standard pattern is 每 + measure word + noun: 每个人 ('every person'), 每本书 ('every book'), 每天 ('every day' — 天 already acts as its own measure word, no extra one needed). When 每 introduces the subject of a habitual action, the adverb 都 (dōu, 'all') usually follows in the predicate to reinforce the universal: 我每天都喝牛奶 ('I drink milk every day,' literally 'I every day all drink milk').
Skipping 都 sounds incomplete in formal writing, though spoken Chinese is more flexible. Time expressions that don't take a measure word — 每天 (every day), 每年 (every year), 每月 (every month), 每星期
Character breakdown
every; each
Memory hook: 每 + 天 = 'every day' — one of the first time phrases learners memorize.
Example sentences
我每天都喝牛奶。
Wǒ měi tiān dōu hē niúnǎi.
I drink milk every day.
spoken
每个学生都有一本书。
Měi ge xuésheng dōu yǒu yì běn shū.
Every student has a book.
neutral
我每个星期跑步三次。
Wǒ měi ge xīngqī pǎobù sān cì.
I run three times every week.
spoken
他每年都去旅游。
Tā měi nián dōu qù lǚyóu.
He travels every year.
neutral
妈妈每次都做我喜欢的菜。
Māma měi cì dōu zuò wǒ xǐhuan de cài.
Mom cooks the dishes I like every time.
spoken
Common phrases with 每
Synonyms
每个 is the most common form when you want 'each one' of countable items. 每 alone is the bare word; with most nouns you need 每 + measure word, so 每个 ends up being the default for general items.
各 also means 'each' but emphasizes that the items differ from one another: 各国 (each different country), 各有特点 ('each has its own features'). 每 emphasizes 'all of them, one by one'; 各 emphasizes 'each one is different.'
Don't confuse 每 with
美 (měi) means 'beautiful' or appears in 美国 'America.' Same pronunciation as 每 but completely different character and meaning.
都 means 'all' and often appears together with 每: 每天都 ('every day, all'). 每 picks out items one by one; 都 sums up the whole group. They work together rather than being interchangeable.
母
FAQ
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