个别 gèbié individually
individually; one by one; just one or two; exceptional; rare
How to remember 个别: 个 general measure word + 别 don't do something = individually.
Characters
How it is used
- 'A few/isolated/exceptional cases'. 个别现象 (gèbié xiànxiàng) an isolated phenomenon; 只有个别人反对 (zhǐyǒu gèbié rén fǎnduì) only a few people object.
- Also 'one-on-one/individual': 个别谈话 (gèbié tánhuà) a private/individual talk.
- 个别 (a rare few, exceptional) is not the same as 个人 (personal); it downplays scope - 'just a small number, not the norm'.
Example sentences
- 只有个别人才懂了我的意思。 Zhǐyǒu gèbié réncái dǒng le wǒ de yìsi.Only a few people understood me.