Table of Contents

Grammar Point

一 MW 一 MW & 一 MW 比一 MW

Repeat “一 + measure word” and you get two handy patterns. 一個一個 yí ge yí ge一个一个 yí ge yí ge means “one by one” or “step by step.” 一天比一天 yì tiān bǐ yì tiān means “more and more” over time, or “each one more than the last.”

一 One by One: 一 MW 一 MW

一 + MW + 一 + MW + (地) + Verb

Say “一 + measure word” twice before the verb to show that something is done one at a time, in order. You can add 地 de before the verb, but it’s optional.

请qǐng你们nǐmen一个yí ge一个yí ge说shuō，不要búyào一块儿yíkuàir说shuō

Please speak one at a time. Don’t all talk at once.

学xué中文Zhōngwén要yào一步yí bù一步yí bù来lái，不要búyào急jí

Learning Chinese takes it step by step. Don’t rush.

他tā把bǎ书shū一本yì běn一本yì běn地de放fàng回huí书架shūjià上shàng

He put the books back on the shelf one by one.

雨yǔ一滴yì dī一滴yì dī地de打dǎ在zài窗户chuānghu上shàng

The rain hit the window drop by drop.

我们wǒmen一家yì jiā一家yì jiā地de问wèn，终于zhōngyú找到zhǎodào了le那nà家jiā店diàn

We asked shop after shop, and finally found the place.

一 + MW + Noun + 一 + MW + Noun + (地) + Verb

You can put the noun in too, for extra emphasis.

老师lǎoshī一个yí ge字zì一个yí ge字zì地de念niàn，学生xuéshēng跟着gēnzhe念niàn

The teacher reads it word by word, and the students repeat after her.

二 More and More: 一 Time 比一 Time

一 + Time Unit + 比 + 一 + Time Unit + Adjective

With a time unit like 天 tiān, 年 nián or 次 cì, this pattern shows something changing steadily over time: “day by day,” “every year,” “each time.”

天气tiānqì一天yì tiān比bǐ一天yì tiān冷lěng

It’s getting colder day by day.

台湾Táiwān的de物价wùjià一年yì nián比bǐ一年yì nián高gāo

Prices in Taiwan are getting higher every year.

他tā的de中文Zhōngwén一次yí cì比bǐ一次yí cì进步jìnbù

His Chinese improves every time.

我的wǒde狗gǒu一天yì tiān比bǐ一天yì tiān胖pàng

My dog is getting chubbier by the day. 🐶

三 Each One More: 一 MW 比一 MW

一 + MW + 比 + 一 + MW + Adjective

With other measure words, it compares the members of a group. It means each one is even more… than the last, or in other words, every single one is really…

这zhè家jiā店diàn的de蛋糕dàngāo一个yí ge比bǐ一个yí ge好吃hǎochī

Every cake at this shop is more delicious than the last.

他tā交jiāo的de女朋友nǚpéngyou一个yí ge比bǐ一个yí ge漂亮piàoliang

Each girlfriend he gets is prettier than the last.

这些zhèxiē问题wèntí一题yì tí比bǐ一题yì tí难nán

These questions get harder and harder.

Night market mathTaiwan’s night markets are full of food stalls, and the measure word for a stall is 摊 tān. So when locals say 一摊比一摊好吃 yì tān bǐ yì tān hǎochī, they mean “each stall is tastier than the last,” and you should keep eating! 🍢

四一天比一天 vs. 越來越越来越

一天比一天 yì tiān bǐ yì tiān and 越來越 yuè lái yuè越来越 yuè lái yuè can both describe change over time, but they feel a little different.

一天比一天

天气tiānqì一天yì tiān比bǐ一天yì tiān冷lěng

Emphasizes a steady, step-by-step change: a little colder each day. It needs a unit like 天, 年 or 次.

越來越越来越

天气tiānqì越来越yuè lái yuè冷lěng

Just says it’s getting colder. No unit needed.

五 Common Mistakes

❌ 天氣tiānqì天气tiānqì一天yì tiān比bǐ一天yì tiān很hěn冷lěng

✅ 天氣tiānqì天气tiānqì一天yì tiān比bǐ一天yì tiān冷lěng

Like other 比 bǐ sentences, there’s no 很 hěn before the adjective.

❌ 他tā的de書shū书shū一yì書shū书shū比bǐ一yì書shū书shū好看hǎokàn

✅ 他tā的de書shū书shū一本yì běn比bǐ一本yì běn好看hǎokàn

Don’t forget the measure word! It’s 一本 yì běn, not 一書.

❌ 天氣tiānqì天气tiānqì一天yì tiān比bǐ一天yì tiān越來越yuè lái yuè越来越yuè lái yuè冷lěng

✅ 天氣tiānqì天气tiānqì一天yì tiān比bǐ一天yì tiān冷lěng

Pick one: 一天比一天 yì tiān bǐ yì tiān or 越來越 yuè lái yuè越来越 yuè lái yuè. Using both says the same thing twice.

Tone change on 一一 changes its tone depending on the next syllable: yí before a 4th tone (一個 yí ge, 一次 yí cì), and yì before other tones (一天 yì tiān, 一本 yì běn). The pinyin on this page shows the tone as it’s actually said.

六 Practice

Tap the words below in the right order to build the sentence, then check your answer. If it’s wrong, you can try again as many times as you like, or hit “Show answer” if you get stuck. Careful: some tiles are traps and are not needed!

Question 1 of 10

“The days are getting longer and longer.”