Expressing "one by one" with "yi"
One by One with 名量
注：当这个量词是时间名词"天、年"时，表示的其实是"little by little, gradually"，而非字面意思。
Contents
- Structure
- Examples
- See also
- Sources and further reading
- Books
Structure
一 + Measure Word （+ 一）+ Measure Word + Noun
Examples
- 请 一 个 房间 一 个 房间 检查。
Qǐng yī gè fángjiān yī gè fángjiān jiǎnchá.
Please inspect room by room.
- 别 着急，一 点 一 点 做 。
Bié zháojí, yī diǎn yī diǎn zuò.
Don't worry, do it little by little.
- 宝宝 一 天 一 天 在 长大。
Bǎobao yī tiān yī tiān zài zhǎngdà.
The baby is growing up day by day.
- 爸爸 妈妈 一 年 一 年 在 变 老 。
Bàba māma yī nián yī nián zài biàn lǎo.
Year by year, mom and dad are becoming old.
over and over again with 动量
数量短语一旦重叠，意义和用法都会改变。如果使用的是动量如"次、遍"，这个短语放在动词前作状语，用于描写动作地方式，或者表示动作已重复了多次。
Structure
一 + Measure Word（+ 又）+ 一 + Measure Word
如果说话人想强调动作重复之多，常常加"又"来加强语气。
Examples
- 我 一 次 一 次 问，他 就是 什么 都 不 说 。
Wǒ yī cì 一 cì wèn, tā jiùshì shénme dōu bù shuō.
I asked him again and again, but he still wouldn't say anything.
- 我 一 遍 一 遍 地 跟 他 解释，他 还是 不 听。
Wǒ yī biàn yī biàn de gēn tā jiěshì, tā háishì bù tīng.
I explained it to him over and over again, but he still won't listen.
- 你 为什么 一 遍 又 一 遍 地 听 这 首 歌 ？
Nǐ wèishénme yī biàn yòu yī biàn de tīng zhè shǒu gē?
Why do you listen to this song on repeat?
- 他们 一 次 又 一 次 犯 这 种 小 错误 ，让 经理 很 头疼 。
Tāmen yī cì yòu yī cì fàn zhè zhǒng xiǎo cuòwù, ràng jīnglǐ hěn tóuténg.
They make this mistake over and over again, giving the manager a headache.
Other Usage
除了有以上的功能，数量短语重叠还可以做定语，重在描写，表示"众数或数量多"，这种情况通常省略第二个"一"。如"一朵朵花、一座座山"等。
See Also
Level B1
Similar to
Used for
Expressing quantity
Keywords
一
Translations
one by one, one after one, times
The expression "one by one" is also simple in Chinese (you don't even need the word "by"), except that it gets complicated somewhat by the concept of measure words.
Contents
1 Used as "One by One"
1.1 Structure
1.2 Examples
2 Used as "Little by Little"
2.1 Structure
2.2 Examples
3 Used as "Over and Over Again"
3.1 Structure
3.2 Examples
Used as "One by One"
The most obvious way to express "one by one" is 一个一个 (yī gè yī gè), and this expression is, in fact, quite common, especially when referring to people doing things one by one. But other measure words can be used in the same pattern as well.
Structure
一 + Measure Word + 一 + Measure Word (+ Noun)
Examples
别 吵 ，一 个 一 个 说。
Bié chǎo, yī gè yī gè shuō.
Don't argue. Speak one by one.
别 着急 ，一 点 一 点 做 。
Bié zháojí, yī diǎn yī diǎn zuò.
Don't worry, do it little by little.
请 一 个 房间 一 个 房间 检查 。
Qǐng yī gè fángjiān yī gè fángjiān jiǎnchá.
Please inspect room by room.
别 拿 那么 多 ，一 个 一 个 拿 。
Bié ná nàme duō, yī gè yī gè ná.
Don't carry so much. Pick them up one at a time.
Used as "Little by Little"
Aside from just meaning "one by one," when 一 (yī) is used with a measure word that is a unit of time like "day" or "year," the meaning changes to "little by little" ("day by day," "year by year") or "gradually."
Structure
一 + Time Unit + 一 + Time Unit (+ Noun)
Examples
宝宝 一 天 一 天 在 长大 。
Bǎobao yī tiān yī tiān zài zhǎngdà.
The baby is growing up day by day.
爸爸 妈妈 一 年 一 年 在 变 老 。
Bàba māma yī nián yī nián zài biàn lǎo.
Year by year, mom and dad are growing old.
Used as "Over and Over Again"
When a measure word phrase like "one time" is repeated, the meaning also changes. When using a verb measure word like 次 (cì) or 遍 (biàn), using this pattern can indicate how the action is performed or indicate repetition of the the action.
Structure
一 + [Measure Word] (+ 又) + 一 + [Measure Word]
If the speaker wants to emphasize that the action has been repeated many times, 又 (yòu) can add emphasis.
Examples
我 一 次 一 次 问，他 就是 什么 都 不 说 。
Wǒ yī cì yī cì wèn, tā jiùshì shénme dōu bù shuō.
I asked him again and again, but he just wouldn't say anything.
我 一 遍 一 遍 地 跟 他 解释，他 还是 不 听 。
Wǒ yī biàn yī biàn de gēn tā jiěshì, tā háishì bù tīng.
I explained it to him again and again, but he still won't listen.
你 为什么 一 遍 又 一 遍 地 听 这 首 歌 ？
Nǐ wèishénme yī biàn yòu yī biàn de tīng zhè shǒu gē?
Why do you listen to this song over and over again?
他们 一 次 又 一 次 犯 这 种 小 错误 ，让 经理 很 头疼 。
Tāmen yī cì yòu yī cì fàn zhè zhǒng xiǎo cuòwù, ràng jīnglǐ hěn tóuténg.
They keep making the same mistake over and over again, and it's giving their manager a headache.