Indicating the whole with "quan"
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
One of the uses of 全 (quán) is to indicate the entirety of something. It could be used for something like a whole household, an entire country, the whole world, etc.
Contents
Using 全 before Noun
Structure
The structure is quite simple, just put 全 in front of the noun you want to emphasize "the whole" of. You cannot use it with 的. Pay attention to the types of nouns you can use with 全, since it is usually paired up with 身 (body), 家 (family), 国 (country), 世界 (world), 天 (day)and the like.
全 + Noun＋都 ＋Verb
Examples
- 我们 全家 都 去 旅游 了。The entire family went traveling.
- 明天 我 全 天 都 呆 在 家里。I am going to stay home all day tomorrow.
- 全 公司 的 人 都 知道 这 件 事 了。The whole company knew that this thing.
- 打 完 球 以后 我 全 身 都 是 汗。My whole body sweat after playing the ball.
- 全世界 的 人 都 知道 Obama 是 谁，你 不 知道？The whole world knows who Obama is. Don't you know?
Using 全都 before Verb
Affirmative Pattern
此处的"全"可以省略，加上"全"是为了强调整体。
Structure
Subj.＋全＋都＋Verb / Adj.
Examples
- 大家 全 都 到 了。Everybody has come.
- 作业 全 都 做 完 了 吗？You've finished all your homework?
- 我 全 都 听 懂 了。I heard and understood all.
- 你 全 都 拿 走 吧。Take them all.
- 他 把 咖啡 全 都 喝 了。He drank up all the coffee.
Negative Pattern
Structure
"不、没"在"全都"后面是全面否定, 表示"None、not at all".
Subj.＋全都＋不 / 没＋Verb / Adj.
"不、没"在"全都"前面是部分否定, 表示"not all".
Subj.＋不 / 没＋全都＋Verb / Adj.
Examples
- 他们 全 都 没 去。None of them went.
- 这 个 周末 我们 全 都 不 在 家。None of us will be home this weekend.
- 他 说 的 话 全 都 不 要 相信。Don't believe what he says.
- 你们 的 员工 全 都 不 会 说 英语 吗？None of your employees can't speak English?
- 他们 全 都 没 学 过 汉语。None of them have studied Chinese.
See also
- Referring to "all" using "suoyou"
- Expressing "Everyone" with "shei"
- Expressing "All" with "shenme dou"
- Expressing "Every" with "mei" and "dou"
- Emphasizing quantity with "dou"
