JLPT N3Everyday

ずつeach; at a time; little by little

The same amount for each person, or each time: two each, five hundred yen a week, one at a time. 少すこしずつ is "little by little".

for each one

参さん加か者しゃに資し料りょうを二に枚まいずつ配くばりました。

We gave each participant two handouts.

each time

毎まい週しゅう、五ご百ひゃく円えんずつ貯ちょ金きんしている。

I put away five hundred yen every week.

little by little

練れん習しゅうを続つづけるうちに、少すこしずつ自じ信しんがついてきた。

As I kept practicing, I gradually became more confident.

How to form it

Amount + ずつ

Straight after the number and its counter: 二ふたつずつ, 三さん人にんずつ. Before a noun it takes の: 六ろく人にんずつのグループ.

Before it: A number with its counter, or a word for an amount: 少すこし, 半はん分ぶん.
Things people say: 一ひとつずつ and 一人ひとりずつ (one at a time), 半はん分ぶんずつ (half each), 少すこしずつ (little by little; casually ちょっとずつ).
Where you'll meet it: Everywhere: sharing things out, recipes, medicine labels, a teacher's instructions.

In use

六ろく人にんずつのグループに分わかれてください。

Please split into groups of six.

薬くすりは朝あさと夜よるに一いち錠じょうずつ飲のんでください。

Please take one tablet in the morning and one at night.

箱はこから部ぶ品ひんを一ひとつずつ取とり出だして、傷きずがないか確かく認にんした。

I took the parts out of the box one at a time and checked them for scratches.

Two things to know

A bare number is usually the total

子こどもたちにみかんを二ふたつあげた。

I gave the children two mandarins.

Two in all, most likely.

子こどもたちにみかんを二ふたつずつあげた。

I gave the children two mandarins each.

Two for every child.

一人ひとりに二ふたつ is "two each" already, and people often add ずつ anyway: 一人ひとりに二ふたつずつ.

It follows the amount, not the noun

English "each" goes with the noun: "each child". ずつ follows what each child gets.

Not said: 子こどもずつにみかんを二ふたつあげた。

(I gave each child two mandarins.)

Close neighbours

ごとにN4

Says how often, or for which group. ずつ says how much each time, so the two often share a sentence.

クラスごとに代だい表ひょうを二人ふたりずつ選えらびます。

We choose two representatives from each class.

当あたりN3

"Per": a rate, or an average you work out. ずつ is the amount each one really gets or does.

食しょく事じ代だいは一人ひとり当あたり三さん千ぜん円えんだった。

The meal came to 3,000 yen per person.

につきN3

"Per" on price lists and in rules.

入にゅう場じょう料りょうは一人ひとりにつき千せん円えんです。

Admission is 1,000 yen per person.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

学がく生せいに辞じ書しょを一いっ冊さつずつ貸かした。

Choose an answer to see why.

2"I served each guest three cookies." Which is right?

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

You will also see it spelled づつ, the older spelling. ずつ is the standard one today.

More sentences

子こどもたちにりんごを一いっ個こずつ渡わたした。

I handed each child one apple.

一いちページずつ内ない容ようを確かく認にんしましょう。

Let's check the content one page at a time.

水すい位いは一いち時じ間かんに二にセンチずつ上あがった。

The water level rose two centimeters every hour.

生せい徒とを四よ人にんずつの班はんに分わけた。

The students were divided into groups of four.