各: Each in a Defined Group in Chinese
各
各 distributes a statement across members of a known group, often before a plural-category noun such as 各国 or in forms such as 各位. It does not take the plural suffix 们 on the same noun phrase. The following predicate describes the members individually rather than as one collective unit. Context supplies the group.
Published July 23, 2026
Reviewed July 23, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
各 + Noun / 各 + Verb + 各的 + Noun
Read the structure
各 distributes a statement across members of a known group, often before a plural-category noun such as 各国 or in forms such as 各位. It does not take the plural suffix 们 on the same noun phrase. The following predicate describes the members individually rather than as one collective unit. Context supplies the group. Keep the model 各 + Noun / 各 + Verb + 各的 + Noun visible while you compare each sentence.
各位同学，上午好！
Good morning, students!
Choose the right context
Refer to every member category: 来自世界各国。 Address a group politely with 各位. Describe separate actions or possessions: 各做各的。
这些花有各自的颜色。
These flowers each have their own color.
Respect the boundary
Do not add 们 to the noun directly governed by 各. Do not place 各 after the verb it distributes. Do not use 各 for an unspecified single member; use 某 or 一个.
各学生们都到了。
(Each students all arrived.)
Repair the pattern
A plural suffix is added after the distributive: 各 already distributes over the group; 学生们 cannot take 们 inside the same 各 phrase. The distributive is placed after the verb: 各 must occur before the predicate it distributes, here 做自己的工作.
各位学生都到了。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
各位同学，上午好！
Good morning, students!
各位
各
This part occupies the 各 position in the model pattern.
同学
Noun / 各
This part occupies the Noun / 各 position in the model pattern.
，
Verb
This part occupies the Verb position in the model pattern.
上午
各的
This part occupies the 各的 position in the model pattern.
好
Noun
This part occupies the Noun position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
各位同学，上午好！
Good morning, students!
这些花有各自的颜色。
These flowers each have their own color.
大家各做各的工作。
Everyone does their own work.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Refer to every member category: 来自世界各国。
- Address a group politely with 各位.
- Describe separate actions or possessions: 各做各的。
Do not use it when
- Do not add 们 to the noun directly governed by 各.
- Do not place 各 after the verb it distributes.
- Do not use 各 for an unspecified single member; use 某 or 一个.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
各学生们都到了。
各位学生都到了。
A plural suffix is added after the distributive
各 already distributes over the group; 学生们 cannot take 们 inside the same 各 phrase.
学生做各自己的工作。
学生各做自己的工作。
The distributive is placed after the verb
各 must occur before the predicate it distributes, here 做自己的工作.
各学生们都到了。
各 already distributes over the group; 学生们 cannot take 们 inside the same 各 phrase.
学生做各自己的工作。
各 must occur before the predicate it distributes, here 做自己的工作.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 各.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 各. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
各: Each in a Defined Group Questions
What is the difference between 各 and 每?
各 emphasizes separate members of a known group; 每 forms regular every-each noun phrases and normally needs a classifier.
Can 各 be used in greetings?
Yes. 各位 is a polite way to address all members of an audience.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: GF0025-2021 Appendix A, Level 3 item 【三08】, 指示代词：各、各位、各种、每、任何
Supports placement in HSK 3; it does not independently establish the usage explanation.
Official sourceA Reference Grammar of Chinese
Huang, Shi and Li · Cambridge University Press · 2022
Locator: Chapter 8, §§8.3–8.4, determinatives and numeral-classifier phrases
Describes pre-nominal determiners and the internal order of nominal phrases; GF item 三08 supplies the specific 各、各位、各种 inventory and examples.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Compare
每每: Every and Each
Compare this lesson with 每 selecting every member or recurring unit; both belong to distribution and universal reference, but they organize a different sentence role or discourse job.
Compare
任何任何: Any Without Restriction
Compare this lesson with 任何 referring to any member without restriction; both belong to distribution and universal reference, but they organize a different sentence role or discourse job.
Compare
皆皆: Formal All
Compare this lesson with formal 皆 applying one predicate to the whole stated set; both belong to distribution and universal reference, but they organize a different sentence role or discourse job.
Continue learning
都都 (dōu): Scope and Position
Continue with the reviewed follow-up lesson to apply this pattern inside a broader, explicitly connected grammar construction.
RECOMMENDED NEXT
Continue learning
Continue with the reviewed follow-up lesson to apply this pattern inside a broader, explicitly connected grammar construction.