全然

• Reading: ぜんぜん
• Romaji: zenzen
• Kanji breakdown: 全 (zen) — whole, complete; 然 (zen) — so, thus
• Pronunciation: /zeɴ.zeɴ/

Meaning

Not at all; not in the slightest. Emphasizes complete negation.

Traditionally used exclusively with negative verb forms to express total absence (全然わからない = don't understand at all). In modern casual speech, it is increasingly used with positives to mean 'totally' (全然大丈夫 = totally fine), though this usage is considered informal.

Examples

1. この問題が全然わかりません。 I don't understand this problem at all.
2. 全然大丈夫ですよ。 It's totally fine.
3. 昨日は全然眠れなかった。 I couldn't sleep at all last night.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, emphasis, reassurance

Tone: emphatic

Origin & History

Composed of 全 (zen, complete/whole) and 然 (zen, so/thus). Literally 'completely so' — when paired with negation, it becomes 'completely not.'

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal