zhěngtiān: 整天 - All Day Long, The Whole Day

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• Summary: Learn how to use 整天 (zhěngtiān), the essential Chinese term for “all day long” or “the whole day.” This page breaks down its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage. Discover why it's often used to complain or exaggerate about an activity that lasts from morning to night, like “He plays video games 整天 (zhěngtiān)!” With clear examples and common mistakes, you'll master this key HSK 3 word.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): zhěng tiān
• Part of Speech: Adverb / Time Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: It means “the whole day” or “all day long,” describing an action that occupies the entire duration of a day.
• In a Nutshell: `整天` is your go-to phrase when you want to say something happened for an entire day, from sunup to sundown. While it literally means “the whole day,” it often carries a feeling of exaggeration, complaint, or fatigue. Think of a parent sighing, “My son was on his computer 整天.” It emphasizes that an activity was excessive and took up all the available time.

• 整 (zhěng): This character means “whole,” “entire,” “complete,” or “tidy.” Imagine putting scattered pieces in order to make a complete set; that's the feeling of `整`.
• 天 (tiān): A fundamental character meaning “day” or “sky.”
• The two characters combine literally and logically: 整 (whole) + 天 (day) = 整天 (the whole day).

While `整天` doesn't carry deep philosophical weight, its usage reveals something about cultural communication styles. In both Chinese and Western cultures, expressing frustration about how someone spends their time is common. However, the frequent use of `整天` in Chinese can be a form of indirect complaint. Instead of saying “You are lazy and play too many video games,” a parent might say, “你整天就知道打游戏” (Nǐ zhěngtiān jiù zhīdào dǎ yóuxì), which translates to “All day long, you just know how to play games.” The focus is on the vast amount of time spent, which implies the criticism without stating it directly. This aligns with a cultural preference for avoiding direct confrontation. Compared to the English “all day long,” `整天` is more frequently used with this slight negative, complaining, or exasperated undertone. It's a powerful tool for emphasizing the sheer, often overwhelming, duration of an action.

`整天` is extremely common in daily, informal conversation. Its connotation depends heavily on the context.

This is the primary use of `整天`. It's used to complain about someone else's (or even one's own) behavior, implying that it's excessive or a waste of time.

• Example: Complaining about a teenager who is always on their phone.
• Example: Expressing frustration about being stuck in meetings all day.

`整天` can be used neutrally to simply state that an activity occupied the entire day, without positive or negative judgment. This is often used for activities like traveling or working on a specific, time-bound project.

• Example: “We spent the whole day driving from Beijing to Shanghai.”

In a positive context, `整天` can be used to emphasize one's dedication or hard work, highlighting the effort put in over a full day.

• Example: “To prepare for the exam, I studied in the library all day.”

• Example 1:
  • 别整天玩手机，对眼睛不好。
  • Pinyin: Bié zhěngtiān wán shǒujī, duì yǎnjīng bù hǎo.
  • English: Don't play on your phone all day long, it's bad for your eyes.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of a complaint or warning, often from a parent or elder. The use of `整天` exaggerates the time spent to strengthen the advice.
• Example 2:
  • 我老板让我整天都在开会，太累了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ lǎobǎn ràng wǒ zhěngtiān dōu zài kāihuì, tài lèi le.
  • English: My boss had me in meetings the whole day, it was so tiring.
  • Analysis: Here, `整天` expresses a feeling of being overwhelmed and fatigued. It emphasizes the exhaustive duration of the meetings.
• Example 3:
  • 为了准备考试，他整天泡在图书馆里。
  • Pinyin: Wèile zhǔnbèi kǎoshì, tā zhěngtiān pào zài túshūguǎn lǐ.
  • English: In order to prepare for the exam, he holed himself up in the library all day.
  • Analysis: This is a positive use. `整天` highlights the student's diligence and commitment to studying. “泡 (pào)” literally means “to soak,” a vivid verb used here to mean “loitered” or “spent a long time.”
• Example 4:
  • 外面整天都在下雨，我们哪儿也去不了。
  • Pinyin: Wàimiàn zhěngtiān dōu zài xià yǔ, wǒmen nǎ'er yě qù bùliǎo.
  • English: It's been raining all day outside, so we can't go anywhere.
  • Analysis: This is a neutral, factual statement, but it also carries a hint of disappointment or boredom due to being stuck indoors.
• Example 5:
  • 我家猫咪没什么事做，就整天睡觉。
  • Pinyin: Wǒjiā māomī méishénme shì zuò, jiù zhěngtiān shuìjiào.
  • English: My cat doesn't have much to do, so it just sleeps all day long.
  • Analysis: A neutral and descriptive statement about a pet's typical behavior.
• Example 6:
  • 他失业以后，整天愁眉苦脸的。
  • Pinyin: Tā shīyè yǐhòu, zhěngtiān chóuméikǔliǎn de.
  • English: After he lost his job, he looked worried and gloomy all day long.
  • Analysis: `整天` is used here to emphasize the constant and persistent nature of his sadness. `愁眉苦脸 (chóuméikǔliǎn)` is a chengyu (idiom) for a worried/sad expression.
• Example 7:
  • 你为什么整天想着那些不开心的事情？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishéme zhěngtiān xiǎngzhe nàxiē bù kāixīn de shìqíng?
  • English: Why do you think about those unhappy things all day?
  • Analysis: This is a rhetorical question used to express concern or frustration with someone's pessimistic attitude.
• Example 8:
  • 昨天我感觉不舒服，整天都躺在床上。
  • Pinyin: Zuótiān wǒ gǎnjué bú shūfú, zhěngtiān dōu tǎng zài chuángshàng.
  • English: I wasn't feeling well yesterday, so I lay in bed the whole day.
  • Analysis: A simple, factual statement explaining why the speaker was inactive. It conveys a sense of weakness or illness.
• Example 9:
  • 孩子们放假了，整天在家里吵吵闹闹。
  • Pinyin: Háizimen fàngjià le, zhěngtiān zài jiālǐ chāochao nàonào.
  • English: The kids are on vacation and are noisy at home all day long.
  • Analysis: This clearly expresses a parent's annoyance or exhaustion with the constant noise.
• Example 10:
  • 我们昨天开车去奶奶家，整天都在路上。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen zuótiān kāichē qù nǎinai jiā, zhěngtiān dōu zài lùshàng.
  • English: We drove to grandma's house yesterday and were on the road the whole day.
  • Analysis: A neutral statement describing the duration of a journey. It factually communicates that the travel took up the entire day.

• `整天` (zhěngtiān) vs. `每天` (měitiān): This is the most common point of confusion for learners.
  • `整天` (zhěngtiān) = All day long (duration within one day).
  • `每天` (měitiān) = Every day (frequency across multiple days).
  • Incorrect: 我整天去公司上班。 (Wǒ zhěngtiān qù gōngsī shàngbān.) - This means “The act of going to the office takes me all day.” It's grammatically odd.
  • Correct: 我每天去公司上班。 (Wǒ měitiān qù gōngsī shàngbān.) - “I go to the office every day.”
  • Correct: 我每天都整天在公司工作。 (Wǒ měitiān dōu zhěngtiān zài gōngsī gōngzuò.) - “I work at the office all day long, every day.” (This shows how they can be used together).
• `整天` (zhěngtiān) vs. `一天` (yī tiān):
  • `整天` emphasizes the entire duration of a day, often with a feeling of “wow, that was a long time.”
  • `一天` (yī tiān) just means “one day” or “a day,” treating the day as a single unit of time.
  • Incorrect for duration: 我昨天学习了一天。 (Wǒ zuótiān xuéxí le yī tiān.) - This is grammatically correct and means “I studied for a day yesterday,” but it lacks the emphasis of `整天`.
  • Better for emphasis: 我昨天整天都在学习。 (Wǒ zuótiān zhěngtiān dōu zài xuéxí.) - “I spent the whole day studying yesterday.” This strongly implies you did little else.
  • Incorrect for counting: 我想请整天假。 (Wǒ xiǎng qǐng zhěngtiān jià.) - This sounds very unnatural.
  • Correct for counting: 我想请一天假。 (Wǒ xiǎng qǐng yī tiān jià.) - “I want to ask for one day of leave.”

• 每天 (měi tiān) - Every day. Describes frequency, not duration within a single day.
• 成天 (chéng tiān) - A very close, slightly more colloquial synonym for `整天`, also meaning “all day long” and often used in complaints.
• 一整天 (yī zhěng tiān) - “One whole day.” Often used more neutrally than `整天` to simply state the fact of a full day's duration without the complaining tone.
• 一天 (yī tiān) - One day; a day. Used for counting days or referring to a specific day.
• 整晚 (zhěng wǎn) - All night long; the whole night. The nighttime equivalent of `整天`.
• 整年 (zhěng nián) - All year long; the whole year. The same structure applied to a year.
• 一直 (yīzhí) - Continuously; always; straight. Describes an uninterrupted action, which could be for five minutes or five hours. It focuses on continuity, not the total span of a day.
• 总是 (zǒngshì) - Always. Describes a habit or something that happens frequently, similar to `每天`.