一一

• Pinyin: yī yī
• Hanzi breakdown: 一 = a single horizontal stroke — the most basic numeral, representing oneness and unity; 一一 = reduplication of 一, conveying the idea of sequential completeness — handling each item individually until all are accounted for

Meaning

One by one; individually; one after another. An adverb indicating that something is done or listed completely, in full, without omission, item by item.

A reduplication of 一 (one), creating an adverb meaning thorough sequential completion. Common in formal, literary, and official contexts: 一一列举 (enumerate one by one), 一一对应 (correspond one to one), 一一核查 (verify each item individually). Conveys meticulous thoroughness and completeness, contrasted with doing things hastily or in bulk.

Examples

1. 她将旅行所需的物品清单读了一遍，把每一件东西一一对照清单放进行李箱，确保没有任何遗漏。 She read through the packing list and then placed each item into her suitcase one by one, checking against the list to make sure nothing was missing.
2. 审计人员将所有财务凭证调出，与账目记录一一核对，历经三周的细致工作终于查出了资金挪用的完整链条。 Auditors pulled every financial voucher and checked them against the accounting records one by one. After three weeks of meticulous work, they finally uncovered the full chain of embezzlement.
3. 毕业典礼上，校长亲自将文凭一一递到每位毕业生手中，并与他们一一握手致意，场面庄重而温馨。 At the graduation ceremony, the principal personally handed diplomas to each graduate one by one and shook hands with each of them, creating a scene that was both solemn and warm.

Usage Guide

Context: administration, literature, daily life, formal occasions

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 出厂前，质检员将每批产品的编号、规格和结果一一录入系统，确保异常及时上报。(Before shipment, the quality inspector enters each batch's number, specifications, and results one by one into the system to ensure anomalies are reported in time.)
• 记者会上，发言人对每个问题一一回应，既表明核心利益不容退让，也愿意对话合作。(At the press conference, the spokesperson responded to each question one by one, showing that core interests will not be compromised while also expressing willingness to dialogue and cooperate.)

Don't Say

• 他一一完成了所有任务在一天内 — word order is wrong; say 他在一天内一一完成了所有任务; 一一 should directly precede the verb it modifies, and adverbial time phrases should appear before the predicate, not after the object

Origin & History

一一 = reduplication of 一 (one — a single horizontal stroke, the most basic numeral and concept of unity); reduplication conveys sequential completeness — going through things one by one until nothing is left

Cultural Context

Era: Classical/Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal