各自

各自 means 'respectively' or 'each on their own,' indicating that different people or things have their own separate roles, responsibilities, or actions. It emphasizes individuality and independence within a group context.

The character 各 (gè) means 'each' or 'every,' and 自 (zì) means 'self' or 'oneself.' Together, they form a word that highlights the distinctness of each individual or item in a set.

各自 is commonly used in situations where individuals are acting independently, such as in work teams, family settings, or academic environments. It can also be found in idioms like 各自为政 (gè zì wéi zhèng), meaning 'each governs themselves,' often used to describe a lack of coordination among groups.