ずつ
zutsu
apiece; each; at a time
🃏 Flashcard
ずつ
zutsu
Tap to reveal usage
apiece; each; at a time
N3
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N3
Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast
Reading
zutsu
Post ID
50994
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
apiece; each; at a time
📖 How to use it
Distributes an amount or number evenly across items or repeated actions.
Attaches to
Attaches directly to nouns, counters, and adverbs of quantity (e.g., 少しずつ, 一人ずつ).
ずつ marks that something is divided or allocated equally. With nouns or counters, it means 'each' or 'apiece': 一人ずつ (one person each), 二つずつ (two each). With adverbs of quantity like 少し, it means 'a little at a time' or 'gradually'. It does not attach directly to verbs; instead, a quantity word with ずつ is placed before the verb, as in 少しずつ食べる (eat a little at a time).
この薬は一日に三回、一回に二錠ずつ飲んでください。
Kono kusuri wa ichinichi ni sankai, ikkai ni nijō zutsu nonde kudasai.
Take this medicine three times a day, two tablets each time.
友達にお土産を一つずつあげました。
Tomodachi ni omiyage o hitotsu zutsu agemashita.
I gave each friend one souvenir.
日本語を少しずつ勉強しています。
Nihongo o sukoshi zutsu benkyō shite imasu.
I'm studying Japanese a little at a time.
Not ごとに
ずつ focuses on the equal share per unit (e.g., 一人ずつ = one person each), while ごとに means 'every' or 'per' (e.g., 一人ごとに = for each person, often implying each one individually). They are sometimes interchangeable, but ずつ emphasizes the division, ごとに emphasizes the repetition or unit.
Register
Neutral and common in both spoken and written Japanese.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
ずつ
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat ずつ three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using ずつ. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N3 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern ずつ mean?
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Apiece; each; at a time
What JLPT level is ずつ?
▼
Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use ずつ in a sentence?
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Attach ずつ (zutsu) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is ずつ formal or casual Japanese?
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ずつ is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember ずつ long-term?
▼
Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.