各自
gèzì · HSK 3
respective
👥 各 (each) + 自 (self) = each + self → each on their own
各 means 'each/every' and 自 means 'self/oneself'. Together 各自 literally reads as 'each-self', meaning each person does something on their own or respectively. Common in phrases like 各自回家 (each goes home).
各 — 夂 (foot coming down) + 口 (mouth/enclosure)
Originally depicted a foot (夂) arriving at a dwelling or settlement (口), suggesting 'each one arriving' at their own place. From this came the meaning 'each' or 'every,' emphasizing individual instances. The character is now used purely for this grammatical sense.
自 — pictograph of a nose
自 originally depicted a human nose, shown frontally with the bridge and nostrils. Ancient Chinese pointed to their own nose to mean 'me,' so 自 shifted to mean 'self' or 'oneself.' A new character 鼻 was later created to carry the original 'nose' meaning.