<p>The full version is 一个人说一句话. 句 is a measure word here. 一人说一句 follows a speaking cadence. It can also be briefed as 一人一句 colloquially when context is clear(we know the intended action is - 说). The purpose of this omission is to make it follow a kind of speaking pattern '一人' 说 '一句'. Another example is 一日一字(a character, a day) which is the title of a TV program in the long past. </p>

<p>We don't usually omit 个 in a full sentence especially in writing. E.g. 一个人的日子不好过. You would probably only see 一人的日子不好过 in a poet or lyrics. </p>

<p>It's interesting to know that 一 xxx 一 xxx is a pattern to express an idea briefly. E.g. 一人一个，一人一句，一人一本，一日一练，一天一根，etc.</p>

<p>Hope this could help.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-08T00:06:20.663Z
2019-12-08T00:39:56.947Z
2019-12-08T00:39:56.947Z
dan
<p>I came across this sentence:</p>

<pre><code>一人说一句。
Yī rén shuō yī jù.
Each person say one sentence.
</code></pre>

<p>There are no measure words after either of the 一's. Is it a rule that you don't have to use measure words for singular items?</p>

<measure-word>
Using measure words for "one [thing]"
# Using measure words for "one [thing]"

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-12-07)

I came across this sentence:
一人说一句。
Yī rén shuō yī jù.
Each person say one sentence.

There are no measure words after either of the 一's. Is it a rule that you don't have to use measure words for singular items?

**Tags:** measure-word

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-12-08. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

The full version is 一个人说一句话. 句 is a measure word here. 一人说一句 follows a speaking cadence. It can also be briefed as 一人一句 colloquially when context is clear(we know the intended action is - 说). The purpose of this omission is to make it follow a kind of speaking pattern '一人' 说 '一句'. Another example is 一日一字(a character, a day) which is the title of a TV program in the long past.

We don't usually omit 个 in a full sentence especially in writing. E.g. 一个人的日子不好过. You would probably only see 一人的日子不好过 in a poet or lyrics.

It's interesting to know that 一 xxx 一 xxx is a pattern to express an idea briefly. E.g. 一人一个，一人一句，一人一本，一日一练，一天一根，etc.

Hope this could help.


---

