完全

• Reading: かんぜん
• Romaji: kanzen
• Kanji breakdown: 完 (kan) — complete, perfect; 全 (zen) — whole, entire
• Pronunciation: /kaɴ.zeɴ/

Meaning

Perfect; complete; flawless. Describes a state with nothing lacking or deficient.

A na-adjective/noun used to describe total completeness. Very commonly used adverbially as 完全に (kanzen ni, completely). Appears in many compounds: 完全犯罪 (perfect crime), 不完全 (fukanzen, incomplete). One of the most frequently used na-adjectives at the N3 level.

Examples

1. このシステムに完全なセキュリティはない。 There's no such thing as perfect security in this system.
2. 彼は事故から完全に回復した。 He made a complete recovery from the accident.
3. 完全に忘れていて約束を破ってしまった。 I totally forgot and ended up breaking my promise.

Usage Guide

Context: descriptions, evaluations, emphasis

Tone: definitive

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound of 完 (kan, complete) and 全 (zen, whole/entire). 完 combines 宀 (roof) and 元 (origin), suggesting completion under shelter. 全 combines 入 (enter) and 玉 (jewel), meaning entirely intact.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal