HSK 4 · VERSION 2.0#20
Expressing “One by One” with “yī...yī...”
一……一……
How it works
This pattern is used to show that actions or items happen one by one, one after another, or piece by piece.
It is useful when describing order, sequence, careful handling, or separate treatment.
The pattern
一 (yī) + Measure Word / Noun + 一 (yī) + Measure Word / Noun + 地 (de) + Verb
Example sentences
同学们一个一个地走进教室。
The students walked into the classroom one by one.
老师一句一句地解释课文。
The teacher explained the text sentence by sentence.
这些问题要一个一个地解决。
These problems need to be solved one by one.
Key point
This pattern highlights order and separation.
It often gives the feeling that each item or action is handled carefully, not all at once.