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#每 #measure #demonstrative
每měi is a demonstrative, with the meaning "each and every". Like all demonstratives, it requires a Measure Words between it and a noun:
每 + measure + noun (+ 都)
Examples:
- 每个老师都很忙。 měi ge lǎoshī dōu hěn máng Every teacher is busy.
- 每本书都是新的。 měi běn shū dōu shì xīn de Every book is a new one.
Some nouns behave like measure words, however, and don't need another measure. One such example is 天, which is why we just say 每天. 都 is used to highlight the plurality of the "each and every" statement. However, it is omitted when using an interrogative numeral (多少/几):
- 每(个)班有几个老师？ měi (ge) bān yǒu jǐge lǎoshī How many teachers does each class have?
- 每个学生买多少张票？ měi ge xuésheng mǎi duōshaozhāng piào How many tickets does each student buy? The same applies when answering these questions:
- 每班有两个老师。 měi bān yǒu liǎngge lǎoshī Each class has two teachers. Not that here, 每 is acting as "each", and not "every".
When 每 appears with the object of a sentence, 都 is not used before the verb. This is because 都 stands in front of a verb, marking the plurality of the nominal before the 都. In this case, the plurality should apply to the object which is after the verb:
老师给每个学生两本杂志。 lǎoshī gěi měi ge xuésheng liǎngběn zázhì The teacher gives each student two magazines. (We can't put 都 before the verb 给, because then it would seem like it's saying "all teachers".)