adverbial N3 common casualpolitewritten
それぞれ — each
それぞれ
Meaning
- each / respectively / each one (in its own way) — every member of a group, taken individually, differs or acts on its own
Key sentence
学生たちはそれぞれ違う夢を持っている。
The students each have their own different dreams.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| adverb modifying a verb, or noun 'each one' | (N(たち)は) それぞれ + [individual action/quality] | 三人それぞれの意見 |
Examples
値段は店によってそれぞれだ。
The price varies from shop to shop.
参加者にそれぞれ資料を配った。
We handed out materials to each participant.
When you can't use it
- Stresses individual difference within a group — each member taken separately; the noun form それぞれの + N means 'each one's ~'. It does not, by itself, mark equal portions.
Easily confused with
〜ずつ ずつ assigns an equal amount per unit (一人に二個ずつ 'two each'); それぞれ stresses that members differ individually ('each in its own way'), not that the share is equal. 〜ごとに ごとに = 'for every ~ / at each ~' marking a regular unit (一人ごとに); それぞれ highlights the individual distinctness of the members themselves ('each one differently').
Notes
- めいめい / 各自 are close synonyms ('each person'); 各自 is more formal and people-only.
See それぞれ in real sentences
Jengo shows それぞれ the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar.