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.

凡是迟到的人都要罚款。

Fánshì chídào de rén dōu yào fákuǎn.

Anyone who is late will be fined.

凡是他说的话，我都相信。

Fánshì tā shuō dehuà, wǒ dōu xiāngxìn.

I believe everything he says.

凡是有困难的同学，都可以来找我。

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