全

• Reading: ぜん
• Romaji: zen
• Kanji breakdown: 全 (zen) — all, whole, entire, complete
• Pronunciation: /ze.n/

Meaning

All; whole; entire. A prefix indicating completeness or totality.

A prefix attached to nouns to indicate the entirety or completeness of something. Commonly seen in words like 全部 (zenbu, everything), 全員 (zen'in, everyone), and 全力 (zenryoku, full effort). As a standalone concept, it conveys the idea of nothing being left out.

Examples

1. 全メンバーが会議に出席した。 All members attended the meeting.
2. 全科目で合格しないと卒業できない。 You can't graduate unless you pass every subject.
3. 全ページを読み終えるのに三日かかった。 It took me three days to finish reading every page.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, academics, business

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 全 combines 入 (enter) and 玉 (jewel), suggesting a flawless jewel with nothing missing — hence the meaning of completeness and wholeness.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal