全
whole, entire, all, complete, fulfill
Readings
On'yomi
- ゼン
Kun'yomi
- まった.く
- すべ.て
Nanori
- たけ
- まさ
Meaning
全 centers on the idea of completeness: something that is whole, entire, or all-encompassing. The sense of 'fulfill' naturally extends from making something complete or bringing it to its full state.
Most common words using 全
24 of 727- 全部ぜんぶN5
all; entire; whole; altogether
- 全てすべてN3
everything; all; the whole
- 全ぜんN3
all; whole; entire; complete; total; pan-
- 完全かんぜんN3
perfect; complete
- 全員ぜんいんN3
all members; all hands; everyone; everybody; whole crew
- 安全あんぜんN4
safety; security
- 全くまったくN3
really; truly; entirely; completely; wholly; perfectly
- 全国ぜんこくN3
the whole country
- 全然ぜんぜんN5
(not) at all; (not) in the slightest
- 全体ぜんたいN3
whole; entirety
- 全力ぜんりょくN1
all one's power (strength, energy, efforts); one's utmost
- 全身ぜんしんN2
whole (body); full-length (e.g. portrait)
- 全面ぜんめん
whole surface; entire
- 全般ぜんぱんN2
(the) whole
- 健全けんぜんN1
healthy; sound; wholesome
- 全滅ぜんめつN1
total destruction; complete destruction; annihilation; being wiped out
- 全米ぜんべい
all-America; pan-American; all of America
- 全長ぜんちょう
full length; total length; overall length
- 全額ぜんがく
total; full amount; sum
- 全日本ぜんにほん
all of Japan; the whole of Japan
- 万全ばんぜんN1
perfection; flawlessness
- 保全ほぜん
preservation; conservation; maintenance; integrity
- 全域ぜんいきN1
the whole area; the entire region; all parts (of)
- 不全ふぜん
partial; incomplete; imperfect
Study
Etymology
全 is thought to combine 入 (enter) and 王 (jewel), suggesting a jewel brought inside to be kept whole and complete. The modern form preserves this structure.
Meaning mnemonic
The top looks like a roof (入) covering a jewel (王) underneath. Imagine a precious jewel kept safe and complete under a roof: nothing is missing, it is whole and entire.
Reading mnemonic
For ゼン, picture a Zen garden where every stone and raked line is perfectly complete: Zen -> ゼン, and the whole garden is in harmony.