凡是

fánshì

adverb HSK 6 #11,759

Meanings

凡是 introduces a universal condition — 'in every case where...' It always appears at the beginning of its clause.

Fánshì chídào de rén dōu yào fákuǎn.

Anyone who is late will be fined.

Fánshì tā shuō de huà, wǒ dōu xiāngxìn.

I believe everything he says.

Fánshì yǒu kùnnán de tóngxué, dōu kěyǐ lái zhǎo wǒ.

Any students who have difficulties can come to me.

grammar

凡是 is almost always paired with 都 or 就 in the main clause: 凡是...都... (every...all...). This is a fixed pattern.

usage

More formal than 所有的 (suǒyǒu de). Often seen in rules, policies, and formal statements.

凡 fán

是 shì