How to use 每 (měi, “every”) and 各 (gè, “each”) in Mandarin Chinese?
Both 每 (měi, every) and 各 (gè, each) are used in Mandarin Chinese to refer to an individual member of a particular group. 每 (měi) emphasizes totality. For example:
每个人都要努力学习。
(Měi gè rén dōu yào nǔlì xuéxí.)
Everyone should study hard.
Contrastively, 各 (gè) emphasizes individuality. For example:
各所大学的学生都来了。
(Gè suǒ dàxué de xuésheng dōu lái le. )
Students from each university came.
Unlike “every” and “each” in English, 每 (měi) and 各 (gè) in Mandarin Chinese have a wider range of functions. Dive in and get to know more about how these two words are used.
Table of Contents
How to use 每 (měi, “every”) in Mandarin Chinese?
Use 每 (měi, every) to focus on the inclusion of everyone or everything in a relevant group or category. For example:
我们班每个学生都想上大学。
(Wǒmen bān měi gè xuésheng dōu xiǎng shàng dàxué.)
Every student in our class wants to go to university.
每 (měi, every) in the above sentence suggests that every student wants to go to university, and there are no exceptions.
When to use 每 (měi) + measure word + noun?
It is common to use a measure word between 每 (měi, every) and the noun in Mandarin Chinese. For example:
每所大学都有老师和学生。
(Měi suǒ dàxué dōu yǒu lǎoshī hé xuésheng.)
Every university has teachers and students.
In the example above, the measure word 所 (suǒ) for multi-building complexes, such as universities, is used between 每 (měi) and 大学 (dàxué, university).
How to use 每 (měi) + 一 (yī, “one”)?
Note that 一 (yī, one) in "每 (měi) + 一 (yī) + noun/measure word” can be omitted. In doing so, we can create a shorter version of the phrase:
Long version | Short version |
|---|---|
每一人 (měi yī rén) everyone | 每人 (měi rén) everyone |
每一家 (měi yī jiā) every family | 每家 (měi jiā) every family |
每一天 (měi yī tiān) every day | 每天 (měi tiān) every day |
每一年 (měi yī nián) every year | 每年 (měi nián) every year |
每一斤 (měi yī jīn) every 500 grams | 每斤 (měi jīn) every 500 grams |
每一次 (měi yī cì) every time | 每次 (měi cì) every time |
The condition for using the above short versions, which is the more natural form, is that the noun itself is a measure word, as well. For example, 斤 (jīn, 500 grams), 次 (cì, times), etc. are also measure words.
The above short versions are workable only when the number is 一 (yī, one). Other numbers won’t work with the short versions. For example, there is no short version for 每三人 (měi sān rén, every three people). Namely, the number “three” cannot be omitted, because 每人 (měi rén) means "everyone."
When to use 每 (měi) + measure word + noun + 都 (dōu, “all”)?
The phrase 每… 都 (měi … dōu, every … all) emphasizes “every” one in the group with no exceptions. This 都 (dōu) needs to be placed before the verb and cannot be omitted. For example:
每位老师都来上班。
(Měi wèi lǎoshī dōu lái shàngbān.)
Every teacher comes to work.
When to use 每 (měi, “every”) + verb?
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他每唱一首歌, 观众就给他鼓掌。
(Tā měi chàng yī shǒu gē, guānzhòng jiù gěi tā gǔzhǎng.)
Every time he sang a song, the audience applauded him.
In the example above, we see 每 (měi) modifying the verb 唱 (chàng) to indicate “every time he sang.”
How to use 各 (gè, “each”) in Mandarin Chinese?
各 (gè, each) refers to people or things as individuals, rather than as members of a group. For example:
各人有各人的活法。
(Gè rén yǒu gè rén de huófǎ.)
Each of us has his/her own way of living.
When to use 各 (gè) + measure word + noun?
Just like 每 (měi, every), 各 (gè, each) can go with measure words followed by nouns. For example:
各门课程
(gè mén kèchéng)
various courses
(lit.) each (measure word) course
各位来宾
(gèwèi láibīn )
ladies and gentlemen
(lit.) each (measure word) guest
The measure words can be optional for 各 (gè, each):
Long version | Short version |
|---|---|
各个人 (gè ge rén) each person | 各人 (gè rén) each person |
各个家庭 (gè ge jiātíng) each family | 各家 (gè jiā) each family |
各所大学 (gè suǒ dàxué) each university | 各大学 (gè dàxué) each university |
各个地方 (gè ge dìfang) each place | 各地 (gè dì) each place |
In Mandarin Chinese, there is a preference for expressions with an even number of characters. For example, as the above table shows, it is more natural to say 各个地方 (four characters) or 各地 two characters), but less natural to say 各地方 (three characters). Similarly, it is natural to say 各家 (two characters) or 各个家庭 (four characters), but less natural to say 各家庭. Of course, there are some exceptions. For example, 各大学 listed in the above table seems okay. This could be a cultural thing, because when the Chinese give out presents/gifts, they are also often in even numbers whenever possible (e.g. two bottles of wine, instead of only one). Perhaps things in pairs could be a happy or lucky sign.
There is a difference between 每 (měi, every) and 各 (gè, each) when they are used with measure words. For example, 各所大学 (gè suǒ dàxué, each university) ⇒ 各大学, but this doesn't work for 每所大学 (měi suǒ dàxué, every university) ⇏ 每大学, because 大学 cannot be used as a measure word, so it can't be shortened to 每大学.
Do you use 各 (gè) with 一 (yī, “one”)?
每 (měi) can go with 一 (yī, one), but 各 (gè) cannot:
For example:
✓每一种人的喜好是不同的。
(Měi yī zhǒng rén de xǐhào shì bùtóng de.)
Everyone's preferences are different.
✗ 各一种人的喜好是不同的。
(Gè yī zhǒng rén de xǐhào shì bùtóng de.)
Different people have different preferences.
✗ 各一门课程
(gè yī mén kèchéng)
each course
The reason for this is that 每一种人 means "every and each one of us,” and this sounds okay in Mandarin. However, 各一种人 means "each and one of us," which sounds odd. 一 (yī) does not go with 各 (gè) because 各 (gè) itself already emphasizes "each."
When to use 各 (gè) + measure word + noun + 都 (dōu, “all”)
Use 各…都 (gè … dōu, each …all)to emphasize “each” one in the group with no exceptions.
For example:
各个部门的人都来了吗？
(Gè ge bùmén de rén dōu lái le ma?)
Are people from each (and every) department here?
As the above sentence shows, 各…都 (gè … dōu, each …all) emphasizes "each" one in the group with no exceptions. 每…都 (měi … dōu, every … all) emphasizes “every” member in the group with no exceptions, as we saw above. For example:
每位老师都来上班。
(Měi wèi lǎoshī dōu lái shàngbān.)
Every teacher comes to work.
When to use 各 (gè) + verb + 各 (gè)?
When 各 (gè, each) is used with verbs, it tends to be reduplicated:
大家不要各顾各, 互相帮助一下。
(Dàjiā bùyào gè gù gè, hùxiāng bāngzhù yīxià.)
Please don't just think of yourself, help each other a bit.
(lit.) We should not each care each, each other help a bit.
各有各的想法。
(Gè yǒu gè de xiǎngfǎ.)
Each has his/her own ideas.
各就各位, 预备, 起！
(Gè jiù gè wèi, yùbèi, qǐ!)
Take your place, set, go!
(lit.) Each go to each place, set, go.
How to use idioms with 各 (gè, “each”)?
In Mandarin Chinese, there are several idioms involving 各 (gè, each).
For example:
各式各样
(gè shì gè yàng)
various kinds
各奔前程
(gè bèn qiánchéng)
Each pursues his onward journey
龙生九子, 秉性各异。
(Lóng shēng jiǔ zǐ, bǐngxìng gè yì.)
A dragon has nine sons with different natures.
(Meaning: people are different)
八仙过海各显神通。
(Bāxiān guò hǎi gè xiǎn shéntōng.)
Eight immortals cross the sea, each showing his magic power.
(Meaning: people have various talents and skills)
When to use 每 (měi) vs. 各 (gè) in Mandarin Chinese?
每 (měi, every) and 各 (gè, each) are interchangeable in some cases and not in others. Take a look at some examples of when the two are interchangeable:
每种人的喜好是不同的。
(Měi zhǒng rén de xǐhào shì bùtóng de.)
Everyone's preferences are different.
各种人的喜好是不同的。
(Gè zhǒng rén de xǐhào shì bùtóng de.)
Different people have different preferences.
The above two sentences convey similar meanings.
每 (měi) and 各 (gè) are not interchangeable when 每 (měi) is translated as "each" in English. Cases like this often involve price or the amount each person gets.
For example:
裙子每条一百元。
(Qúnzi měi tiáo yībǎi yuán.)
The skirt is $100 each.
我有三个苹果，每人一个。
(Wǒ yǒu sān gè píngguǒ, měi rén yī gè.)
I have three apples, one for each.
各 (gè) cannot replace 每 (měi) in the above two sentences.
To sum up
每 (měi, every) and 各 (gè, each) are similar in three aspects:
They can both go with measure words or without them.
They can also be used together with 都 (dōu, all).
They both go with verbs.
While both 每 (měi, every) and 各 (gè, each) refer to the members of a particular group, 每 (měi) focuses more on totality, but 各 (gè) more on individuals. 每 (měi) can go with 一 (yī, one, each), but 各 (gè) cannot, due to its meaning. 各 (gè) is also often used to form idioms, but 每 (měi) is not.
Okay, now it is time to try out what we have discussed here, go ahead check out these exercises to practice using 每 (měi, every) and 各 (gè, each) in Mandarin Chinese!
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