====== měi: 每 - Every, Each ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **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.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **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.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **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."
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
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.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
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 Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 我 **每**天 早上 七点 起床。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ **měi**tiān 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 **měi**nián 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]".
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **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`.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[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.