▎每, mĕi, (Det), as in 每＋Time Expression, Frequency (2)

 

Function This pattern indicates the happening of an instance at particular intervals of time, similar in meaning to the English sentence ‘I clean the pool every 3 days’. Frequency consists of 每 followed by a time expression.

1 學校的游泳池每一個星期換一次水。

Xuéxiào de yóuyǒngchí měi yí ge xīngqí huàn yí cì shuǐ.

The school swimming pool changes water once a week. (i.e., The water in the school swimming pool is changed once a week.)

2 他每三天就去一次健身房。

Tā měi sān tiān jiù qù yí cì jiànshēnfáng.

He goes to the gym once every three days.

3 我姐姐每六個月就到外國旅行一次。

Wǒ jiějie měi liù ge yuè jiù dào wàiguó lǚxíng yí cì.

My elder sister takes a trip abroad once every six months.

 

Structures 每＋Time Expression＋VP

The subject can appear either before or after frequency phrase.

1 每一個星期我打一次電話回家。

Měi yí ge xīngqí wǒ dǎ yí cì diànhuà huí jiā.

Once a week, I call back home.

2 他每三天就去健身房運動一次。

Tā měi sān tiān jiù qù jiànshēnfáng yùndòng yí cì.

He goes to the gym to work out once every three days.

3 每一個月語言中心考兩次試。

Měi yí ge yuè yǔyán zhōngxīn kǎo liǎng cì shì.

The language center gives exams twice every month.

4 我每兩、三天就去吃一次牛肉麵。

Wǒ měi liǎng, sān tiān jiù qù chī yí cì niúròu miàn.

I eat beef noodles once every two or three days.

Negation：不是 negation is the norm.

1 我們不是每半年交一次房租，是每兩個月交一次。

Wǒmen búshì měi bàn nián jiāo yí cì fángzū, shì měi liǎng ge yuè jiāo yí cì.

We pay rent once every two months, not once every half year.

2 他不是每兩年換一支手機。

Tā búshì měi liǎng nián huàn yì zhī shǒujī.

He doesn’t update his cellphone once every two years.

3 我的電腦不是每三分鐘就存一次資料。

Wǒ de diànnǎo búshì měi sān fēnzhōng jiù cún yí cì zīliào.

My computer does not save data every three minutes.

Questions：

1 他每個月上幾次教堂？

Tā měi ge yuè shàng jǐ cì jiàotáng?

How many times does he go to church every month?

2 我們是不是每三個月有一次假期？

Wǒmen shìbúshì měi sān ge yuè yǒu yí cì jiàqí?

We have a vacation once every three months, right?

3 你去旅行的時候是不是每天都傳很多次簡訊給女朋友？

Nǐ qù lǚxíng de shíhòu shìbúshì měi tiān dōu chuán hěn duō cì jiǎnxùn gěi nǚpéngyǒu?

When you travel, do you send lots of texts to your girlfriend every day?

 

Usage

(1) In daily conversation, 每 is sometimes omitted, but then the time expression is spoken with a stress.

1 小明(每)半年跟大學朋友吃一次飯。

Xiǎomíng (měi) bàn nián gēn dàxué péngyǒu chī yí cì fàn.

Xiaoming dines with his friends from college every six months.

2 老師(每)三天就考一次聽寫。

Lǎoshī (měi) sān tiān jiù kǎo yí cì tīngxiě.

The teacher gives a dictation test every three days.

(2) Verb classifiers (like 次 and 趟), if any, are positioned either next to the verb or after the object. The former position is preferred.

1 a. 張先生每半個月去一趟越南。

Zhāng xiānshēng měi bàn ge yuè qù yí tàng Yuènán.

Mr. Zhang goes to Vietnam every half month.

b. 張先生每半個月去越南一趟。

Zhāng xiānshēng měi bàn ge yuè qù Yuènán yí tàng.

Mr. Zhang goes to Vietnam every half month.

2 a. 你每個月上幾次教堂？

Nǐ měi ge yuè shàng jǐ cì jiàotáng?

How many times do you go to church every month?

b. 你每個月上教堂幾次？

Nǐ měi ge yuè shàng jiàotáng jǐ cì?

How many times do you go to church every month?

3 他每個月送兩次禮物給女朋友。

Tā měi ge yuè sòng liǎng cì lǐwù gěi nǚpéngyǒu.

He gives gifts to his girlfriend twice a month.

(＊他每個月送禮物給女朋友兩次。)

(＊Tā měi ge yuè sòng lǐwù gěi nǚpéngyǒu liǎng cì.)

(3) When 就jiù is used in this pattern, it indicates that the frequency is higher than expected; if the frequency is lower than expected, 才cái can be used. Please compare the following examples.

1 張主任每半年請我們吃一次飯。(factual statement)

Zhāng zhǔrèn měi bàn nián qǐng wǒmen chī yí cì fàn.

Director Zhang treats us to a meal every six months.

2 張主任每半年就請我們吃一次飯。(he’s a generous person)

Zhāng zhǔrèn měi bàn nián jiù qǐng wǒmen chī yí cì fàn.

Director Zhang treats us to a meal (as frequently as) every six months.

3 張主任每半年才請我們吃一次飯。(he’s a stingy person)

Zhāng zhǔrèn měi bàn nián cái qǐng wǒmen chī yí cì fàn.

Director Zhang treats us to a meal only every six months.