めいめい

め

い

め

い

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

adverb, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun

usually written using kana alone

Refers to each person or each item in a group, emphasizing individual action or state. Often used adverbially or with の.

銘々めいめいに〈動詞どうし〉〉each person doing something individually
参さん加か者しゃは銘めい々めいに自じ己こ紹しょう介かいをした。
Each participant introduced themselves individually.
銘々めいめいが〈動詞どうし〉〉each one (does something) on their own
銘めい々めいが好すきな料りょう理りを選えらんだ。
Each person chose the dish they liked.
銘々めいめいの〈物もの〉〉each person's own (thing)
銘めい々めいの意い見けんを聞きいてから決きめましょう。
Let's decide after hearing each person's own opinion.

各かく自じN2
各自 is more formal and typically appears in instructions or rules, while 銘々 is a slightly softer, more personal way to say 'each one'.
それぞれN3
それぞれ is the general, everyday word for 'each' and works for both people and things, while 銘々 is more strongly tied to individual people acting on their own.

めいめいUsage78%
Usually written in kana. The kanji forms 銘々 and 銘銘 exist but are less common.
銘めい々めいUsage21%
Kanji form using the repetition mark 々. Recognizable but less common than kana.
銘めい銘めいUsage1%
Full kanji repetition form. Rarely used in modern writing.

Developed by sound change from 面々（めんめん）, “each person” or “each individually.” 銘々 is the conventional modern spelling.