全

• Pinyin: quán
• Hanzi breakdown: 全 = 入 (enter) + 王 (king/jade); originally depicting a complete piece of jade

Meaning

All; whole; entire; complete. Used to express totality or completeness.

As an adverb, 全 means 'entirely' or 'all' and modifies verbs. As an adjective, it means 'complete' or 'whole.' Very versatile — appears in many common compounds like 全部 (all), 全家 (whole family), 全国 (nationwide).

Examples

1. 我们全家人都喜欢吃火锅。 Our whole family likes eating hot pot.
2. 他的作业全做完了。 He finished all of his homework.
3. 这些苹果全是红色的。 These apples are all red.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, emphasis

Tone: assertive

Do Say

• 全班同学都来了。(All the classmates in the class have come.)
• 水果全卖完了。(The fruit is all sold out.)

Don't Say

• 我全喜欢你。(Don't use 全 to modify adjectives describing feelings toward a single person — 全 emphasizes totality across items, not intensity. Say 我很喜欢你 instead.)

Origin & History

Originally a pictograph representing a piece of jade kept whole and intact, conveying the idea of completeness.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal