全
全·whole, entire
- On-yomi
- ゼン
- Kun-yomi
- まったくすべて
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 全部 | ぜんぶ | all, everything |
| 安全 | あんぜん | safety |
| 全然 | ぜんぜん | (not) at all |
| 全国 | ぜんこく | the whole country, nationwide |
Example sentences
全部食べてもいいですか。
ぜんぶたべてもいいですか。
Is it all right if I eat all of it?
ここは安全ですから、心配しないでください。
ここはあんぜんですから、しんぱいしないでください。
It's safe here, so please don't worry.
先生の話は全然分かりませんでした。
せんせいのはなしはぜんぜんわかりませんでした。
I didn't understand the teacher's talk at all.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- 全然 is normally followed by a negative in careful Japanese
- 全部 counts things as a whole set; 全員 is used for a whole group of people
Memory aid
Picture it
A roof (人) spread over a king (王) — everything held under one cover.
Vocabulary using this kanji
- 全然ぜんぜんnot at all (with negative)
- 全くまったくentirely, not at all
- 全体ぜんたいwhole
- 完全かんぜんcomplete, perfect
- 全員ぜんいんall members, everyone, the whole staff
- 全てすべてall, the whole, everything
- 全国ぜんこくthe whole country, nationwide, national
- 全ぜんall, whole, entire, total (prefix)
- 全部ぜんぶall, everything
- 安全あんぜんsafety, safe
- 保全ほぜんconservation, preservation
- 全集ぜんしゅうcomplete works, collected works (of an author)
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 2 of 5
What does the kanji 全 mean?