HSK 2
N M M 都
N M M dōu
every N
Structure
Noun + Measure Word + Measure Word + 都 + Verb/Adjective
How it works
This structure uses the reduplication of a measure word (M) to express the meaning of 'every' or 'each' without using the word '每' (měi). It emphasizes that all members within the specific group share the same characteristic, which is why the adverb '都' (dōu) is required before the verb or adjective.
Examples
这里的衣服件件都很漂亮。
Zhèlǐ de yīfu jiànjiàn dōu hěn piàoliang.
Every piece of clothing here is very beautiful.
这两天个个都很忙。
Zhè liǎng tiān gègè dōu hěn máng.
Everyone has been very busy these past two days.
那个商店的小杯子个个都很可爱。
Nàge shāngdiàn de xiǎo bēizi gègè dōu hěn kě'ài.
Every small cup in that store is very cute.
Common mistakes
Forgetting to include '都' (dōu). In Chinese, when you use reduplicated measure words to imply 'every', '都' must be used to complete the sentence logic.
Tip
Not all measure words can be reduplicated this way, but common ones like 个 (gè), 件 (jiàn), 张 (zhāng), and 天 (tiān) work perfectly to add a sense of 'every' with a slight touch of emphasis.
More HSK 2 grammar
See N M M 都 in real Chinese
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