Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== měi ge yuè: 每个月 - Every Month, Monthly ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** meigeyue, 每个月, every month in Chinese, monthly Chinese, how to say monthly in Chinese, Chinese time words, Chinese measure words, Chinese frequency, HSK 2 vocabulary, 每 in Chinese * **Summary:** Learn how to say "every month" in Chinese with the essential phrase **每个月 (měi ge yuè)**. This guide breaks down the characters, explains the crucial grammatical pattern of using a measure word with 每 (měi), and provides numerous practical examples for talking about salaries, rent, and monthly routines. Understanding 每个月 is a key step for any beginner wanting to discuss schedules and frequency in Mandarin Chinese. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** měi ge yuè * **Part of Speech:** Time Noun / Adverbial Phrase * **HSK Level:** HSK 2 * **Concise Definition:** A phrase used to express the frequency of "every month" or "each month." * **In a Nutshell:** **每个月 (měi ge yuè)** is the most common and direct way to say "every month" in Chinese. It's a fundamental building block for talking about anything that happens on a monthly basis. It follows a simple, yet vital, Chinese grammar pattern: **每 (every) + Measure Word (个) + Noun (月)**. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **每 (měi):** This character means "every" or "each." It is the key component for expressing recurring frequency for any unit of time or group of items. * **个 (ge):** This is the most common and all-purpose measure word in Mandarin. While English says "every month," Chinese requires a counter between "every" and "month." Think of it as "every single month" or "each one of the months." Its inclusion is grammatically essential. * **月 (yuè):** This character means "month" and its original form was a pictogram of the crescent moon, as ancient calendars were based on lunar cycles. These three characters combine literally to mean "every single month," forming the standard phrase for "monthly." ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== While "every month" is a universal concept, the structure of **每个月 (měi ge yuè)** reveals a core principle of the Chinese language: the necessity of measure words. In English, we can simply say "every day," "every person," or "every month." In Chinese, you almost always need a measure word between **每 (měi)** and the noun. This reflects a linguistic tendency in Chinese to quantify or classify nouns explicitly. * **Western Comparison:** An English speaker might find the **个 (ge)** redundant, like saying "every one month." However, for a native Chinese speaker, omitting it (saying `*每 月`) sounds incomplete and unnatural in most conversational contexts. Learning this `每 + Measure Word + Noun` pattern is crucial for sounding fluent and is more important than memorizing complex cultural philosophies. It applies to nearly everything: * **每天 (měi tiān)** - Every day (天 is an exception that doesn't always need a measure word) * **每个人 (měi ge rén)** - Every person * **每年 (měi nián)** - Every year (年 is another common exception) * **每个星期 (měi ge xīngqī)** - Every week Understanding this structure is a gateway to mastering Chinese time and frequency expressions. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== **每个月** is a high-frequency phrase used in all aspects of modern life. It is neutral in formality and can be used with friends, family, colleagues, or in official documents. * **Finances:** This is one of the most common contexts. * Paying rent: `交房租 (jiāo fángzū)` * Receiving a salary: `发工资 (fā gōngzī)` * Paying utility bills: `付水电费 (fù shuǐdiànfèi)` * Monthly budget: `每个月的预算 (měi ge yuè de yùsuàn)` * **Work and School:** * Monthly meetings: `每个月开会 (měi ge yuè kāihuì)` * Monthly reports: `月度报告 (yuèdù bàogào)` or `每个月的报告 (měi ge yuè de bàogào)` * Monthly exams: `月考 (yuèkǎo)` * **Personal Life:** * Gym memberships: `健身房会员费 (jiànshēnfáng huìyuánfèi)` * Subscriptions (magazines, streaming services): `订阅 (dìngyuè)` * Regular appointments or check-ups: `每个月体检一次 (měi ge yuè tǐjiǎn yí cì)` The phrase is typically placed after the subject and before the verb to establish the timeframe of the action. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 我们公司**每个月**15号发工资。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī **měi ge yuè** shíwǔ hào fā gōngzī. * English: Our company pays salaries on the 15th of **every month**. * Analysis: A classic example related to work and finances. The time phrase `每个月15号` comes directly after the subject `我们公司` and before the verb phrase `发工资`. * **Example 2:** * 我**每个月**都要交房租和水电费。 * Pinyin: Wǒ **měi ge yuè** dōu yào jiāo fángzū hé shuǐdiànfèi. * English: I have to pay rent and utilities **every month**. * Analysis: This sentence uses `都要 (dōu yào)` to emphasize that this is a recurring and unavoidable obligation that happens every single month. * **Example 3:** * 你**每个月**看几本书？ * Pinyin: Nǐ **měi ge yuè** kàn jǐ běn shū? * English: How many books do you read **every month**? * Analysis: This shows how to use the phrase in a question to ask about the frequency of an activity within a monthly period. * **Example 4:** * 这家健身房的会员费**每个月**五百块。 * Pinyin: Zhè jiā jiànshēnfáng de huìyuánfèi **měi ge yuè** wǔbǎi kuài. * English: The membership fee for this gym is 500 RMB **per month**. * Analysis: Here, `每个月` functions similarly to "per month" in English, stating a recurring cost. * **Example 5:** * 我爸爸**每个月**都给我打电话。 * Pinyin: Wǒ bàba **měi ge yuè** dōu gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà. * English: My dad calls me **every month**. * Analysis: `都 (dōu)` is often paired with `每 (měi)` to add emphasis, reinforcing the idea that the action happens consistently in *every single* one of those periods. * **Example 6:** * 我们部门**每个月**有一次团队建设活动。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen bùmén **měi ge yuè** yǒu yí cì tuánduì jiànshè huódòng. * English: Our department has one team-building activity **every month**. * Analysis: This sentence structure `(time) +有 + (number) + 次 + (event)` is very common for describing scheduled events. `一次 (yí cì)` means "one time" or "once." * **Example 7:** * 这个杂志是**每个月**出版一次吗？ * Pinyin: Zhège zázhì shì **měi ge yuè** chūbǎn yí cì ma? * English: Is this magazine published once **a month**? * Analysis: A good example of a yes/no question using `是...吗 (shì...ma)`. * **Example 8:** * 我计划**每个月**存一千块钱。 * Pinyin: Wǒ jìhuà **měi ge yuè** cún yìqiān kuài qián. * English: I plan to save 1,000 RMB **every month**. * Analysis: Shows how the phrase can be used to talk about future plans, goals, and resolutions. * **Example 9:** * 他**每个月**要去医院做一次检查。 * Pinyin: Tā **měi ge yuè** yào qù yīyuàn zuò yí cì jiǎnchá. * English: He has to go to the hospital for a check-up once **every month**. * Analysis: Demonstrates its use for recurring appointments or health-related routines. * **Example 10:** * **每个月**的生活费差不多要三千块。 * Pinyin: **Měi ge yuè** de shēnghuófèi chàbuduō yào sānqiān kuài. * English: The living expenses for **each month** are about 3,000 RMB. * Analysis: In this case, `每个月` starts the sentence to establish the topic being discussed—the costs associated with a typical month. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **Forgetting the Measure Word `个 (ge)`:** This is the most common mistake for beginners. * **Incorrect:** `我 *每月* 去看电影。(Wǒ měi yuè qù kàn diànyǐng.)` * **Correct:** `我 **每个月** 去看电影。(Wǒ měi ge yuè qù kàn diànyǐng.)` * **Reason:** In spoken, everyday Chinese, omitting `个 (ge)` sounds unnatural and grammatically incomplete. Always include it in conversation. * **`每个月 (měi ge yuè)` vs. `每月 (měi yuè)`:** * **每个月 (měi ge yuè):** Standard, common, used in both spoken and written Chinese. This should be your default choice. * **每月 (měi yuè):** A more formal, abbreviated form. You will see this in writing, especially on signs, in contracts, or in formal reports. For example, a sign might say `停车费: 每月300元` (Parking fee: 300 RMB/month). As a learner, it's good to recognize `每月`, but you should use `每个月` in your own speaking and writing. * **Sentence Placement:** Remember that time phrases like `每个月` almost always come **after the subject and before the verb**. * **Correct:** `他 每个月 读一本书。 (Tā měi ge yuè dú yì běn shū.)` * **Incorrect:** `他读一本书每个月。 (Tā dú yì běn shū měi ge yuè.)` ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * **[[每天]] (měi tiān)** - Every day. Follows the same frequency pattern. * **[[每年]] (měi nián)** - Every year. Another essential time frequency word. * **[[每个星期]] (měi ge xīngqī)** - Every week. Note the use of `个`. You may also hear `每周 (měi zhōu)`. * **[[上个月]] (shàng ge yuè)** - Last month. A relative time word. * **[[下个月]] (xià ge yuè)** - Next month. The counterpart to last month. * **[[这个月]] (zhè ge yuè)** - This month. Refers to the current month. * **[[月薪]] (yuèxīn)** - Monthly salary. A specific noun related to monthly income. * **[[月度]] (yuèdù)** - Monthly (adjective). A more formal term used before a noun, as in `月度会议 (yuèdù huìyì)` - monthly meeting. * **[[一次]] (yí cì)** - Once; one time. A frequency measure word often used with `每个月` to specify how many times an action occurs.