全 (quán): all

Meanings

1 all
2 whole
3 entire
4 complete

Characters

全

quán

whole; complete; entire

Examples

全班同学都来了。

Quán bān tóngxué dōu lái le.

All the classmates came.

这本书我全看完了。

Zhè běn shū wǒ quán kàn wán le.

I've read the entire book.

人到全了吗？

Rén dào quán le ma?

Is everyone here?

Tips

grammar

全 + noun + 都 is a common pattern: 全家都去了 (the whole family went). 全 modifies the scope, 都 emphasizes totality.

Components

radical

入 rù

enter; come in

Top 入 (enter) — also 全's indexing radical (Kangxi #11). Two strokes leaning together over the body below: the lid of a container, marking 'fully covered, complete.' One traditional reading takes 入 over 王 as 'jade kept whole inside its case' — an intact, unblemished thing. From there came the modern senses 'all, complete, whole, perfect.'

semantic

玉 yù

jade

Bottom 玉 (jade) — drawn here as 王 with the 'jade-dot' compressed into one of the existing strokes (5 standalone strokes condensed to 4 in this position, a mild contraction within tolerance). Jade was the supreme intact treasure; under the entry-lid above it gives the picture of 'a flawless jade kept whole.' Reinforces the 'complete, perfect' core of 全.