Usage of 全
The character 全 (quán) means "whole," "entire," or "complete." It is commonly used to emphasize that something includes all parts or is done fully.
Common contexts
全 often appears before nouns to indicate the entirety of a group or object, such as 全班 (the whole class) or 全身 (the whole body). It can also modify verbs to express completeness, like 全看完 (finish reading completely).
Collocations and patterns
- 全 + noun: emphasizes the entirety of the noun (e.g., 全家, the whole family).
- 全 + verb + 了: indicates the action is completed fully (e.g., 全吃了, ate it all).
Nuances
Using 全 stresses completeness and totality, which is stronger than partial or some. It differs from similar words like "全部" which can be more formal or used as a noun meaning "all" or "everything." 全 is more flexible as an adjective or adverb.
Common confusion
Don't confuse 全 with 完 (wán), which means "to finish" or "complete" but is more about the state of completion rather than entirety. For example, 全班 means the whole class, while 完成 means to complete a task.