====== wánquán: 完全 - Complete, Whole, Totally ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** wánquán, wan quan, 完全, Chinese for complete, totally in Chinese, Chinese grammar, absolutely, entire, whole, HSK 4 vocabulary, Chinese adverb, how to use wánquán * **Summary:** Learn how to use "完全" (wánquán), a fundamental Chinese word meaning "complete," "totally," or "absolutely." This guide breaks down 完全, explaining its use as both an adverb to intensify actions and a descriptor for something being whole. Discover practical examples, cultural context, and common mistakes to help you master this essential HSK 4 term and express absolute certainty in Mandarin Chinese. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** wánquán * **Part of Speech:** Adverb, Adjective * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 * **Concise Definition:** Completely, totally, wholly; complete, whole. * **In a Nutshell:** "完全" is the go-to word in Chinese for expressing "100%". It functions like "completely" or "totally" in English, used to emphasize the absolute nature of an action, state, or quality. Whether you "completely agree" (`完全同意`) or "completely don't understand" (`完全不懂`), `完全` removes all doubt and ambiguity. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **完 (wán):** This character means "to finish," "to complete," or "whole." It's composed of the "roof" radical `宀` (mián) over `元` (yuán), which means "origin" or "first." You can think of it as bringing a project to its "original" intended state under one "roof"—making it finished and complete. * **全 (quán):** This character means "all," "entire," or "whole." The top part `入` (rù, enter) over `王` (wáng, king, or a variant of jade `玉`) can be imagined as everything that belongs to the king, encompassing the entire kingdom. * Together, `完` (complete) and `全` (all) create a powerful compound word that signifies absolute, total completeness, with no parts missing and nothing left unfinished. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== While not a deeply philosophical term like [[关系]] (guānxi), `完全` plays a crucial role in communication by providing clarity and certainty. In a culture that can sometimes value indirectness and subtlety to maintain harmony, using `完全` is a way to be direct and unequivocal. Compared to the English word "totally," which can sometimes be used as informal slang ("That's, like, totally awesome"), `完全` is a standard, neutral intensifier suitable for all levels of formality. It is just as appropriate in a business report (`这个计划完全可行` - This plan is completely feasible) as it is in a casual conversation (`我完全忘了` - I totally forgot). Its primary function is to remove ambiguity, making it a powerful tool for clear expression. The structure `完全 + 不/没` ("completely not") is one of the most common and definitive ways to express negation in Chinese. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== `完全` is an extremely common word used daily in various contexts. * **As an Adverb (Most Common Use):** It is placed before a verb or adjective to intensify it. * **Positive Emphasis:** `我完全同意。` (Wǒ wánquán tóngyì.) - I completely agree. * **Negative Emphasis:** `他完全不明白。` (Tā wánquán bù míngbai.) - He doesn't understand at all. * **Emphasizing a State:** `情况完全不同。` (Qíngkuàng wánquán bùtóng.) - The situation is completely different. * **As an Adjective:** It can describe a noun as being "complete" or "whole." In this case, it's often followed by `的 (de)`. This usage is slightly more formal than its adverbial use. * `这是一个完全的胜利。` (Zhè shì yīgè wánquán de shènglì.) - This is a complete victory. * `我们需要一个完全的计划。` (Wǒmen xūyào yīgè wánquán de jìhuà.) - We need a complete plan. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 我**完全**同意你的看法。 * Pinyin: Wǒ **wánquán** tóngyì nǐ de kànfǎ. * English: I completely agree with your point of view. * Analysis: A standard and direct way to show 100% agreement. `完全` is placed directly before the verb `同意` (agree). * **Example 2:** * 这个问题我**完全**不懂。 * Pinyin: Zhège wèntí wǒ **wánquán** bù dǒng. * English: I don't understand this problem at all. * Analysis: This is a classic example of the `完全 + 不` structure to form a strong, clear negation. It's much more emphatic than just saying `我不懂`. * **Example 3:** * 这**完全**是一个误会。 * Pinyin: Zhè **wánquán** shì yīgè wùhuì. * English: This is a complete misunderstanding. * Analysis: Here, `完全` modifies the entire clause, emphasizing that the whole situation is a misunderstanding, not just part of it. * **Example 4:** * 我**完全**没想到会在这里见到你! * Pinyin: Wǒ **wánquán** méi xiǎngdào huì zài zhèlǐ jiàndào nǐ! * English: I totally didn't expect to see you here! * Analysis: Used to express genuine surprise. The `完全 + 没` structure emphasizes a complete lack of prior expectation. * **Example 5:** * 他的解释**完全**错误。 * Pinyin: Tā de jiěshì **wánquán** cuòwù. * English: His explanation is completely wrong. * Analysis: `完全` modifies the adjective `错误` (wrong), leaving no room for doubt about the incorrectness of the explanation. * **Example 6:** * 我们为这次旅行做了**完全**的准备。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen wèi zhè cì lǚxíng zuòle **wánquán** de zhǔnbèi. * English: We have made complete preparations for this trip. * Analysis: An example of `完全` used as an adjective with `的`. It describes the `准备` (preparations) as being whole and thorough. * **Example 7:** * 两个系统**完全**独立,互不影响。 * Pinyin: Liǎng gè xìtǒng **wánquán** dúlì, hù bù yǐngxiǎng. * English: The two systems are completely independent and do not affect each other. * Analysis: A common phrase in technical or formal contexts to describe a total separation or independence. * **Example 8:** * 手术后,他**完全**康复了。 * Pinyin: Shǒushù hòu, tā **wánquán** kāngfù le. * English: After the surgery, he recovered completely. * Analysis: `完全` here modifies the verb `康复` (to recover), indicating a full return to health. * **Example 9:** * 你**完全**可以相信我。 * Pinyin: Nǐ **wánquán** kěyǐ xiāngxìn wǒ. * English: You can totally trust me. * Analysis: Used to give strong reassurance. `完全可以` means "it's totally okay to..." or "you can absolutely...". * **Example 10:** * 这两个设计虽然相似,但本质上是**完全**不同的。 * Pinyin: Zhè liǎng gè shèjì suīrán xiāngsì, dàn běnzhì shàng shì **wánquán** bùtóng de. * English: Although these two designs are similar, they are fundamentally completely different. * Analysis: This sentence highlights contrast. `完全` is used to emphasize the stark difference despite apparent similarities. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **`完全` vs. `都 (dōu)`:** This is a major point of confusion for learners. * `都 (dōu)` means "all" and refers to the subject (the nouns/pronouns). It indicates that //every member// of a group is doing something. * Correct: 他们**都**来了。 (Tāmen dōu lái le.) - They **all** came. * `完全 (wánquán)` means "completely" and refers to the verb or adjective. It indicates the //degree// to which an action is performed or a state exists. * Correct: 我**完全**准备好了。 (Wǒ wánquán zhǔnbèi hǎo le.) - I am **completely** ready. * Incorrect Usage: `*他们完全来了。` This is wrong because "coming" isn't an action you can do "completely." You either came or you didn't. You use `都` to say everyone in the group "they" came. * **Overusing as an Adjective:** While `完全的` is grammatically correct, in everyday speech, it's far more common to use other words like `整个 (zhěnggè)` or `全部 (quánbù)` when you mean "the whole" or "all of" something. * Natural: 我吃了**整个**披萨。 (Wǒ chīle zhěnggè pīsà.) - I ate the whole pizza. * Less Natural: `*我吃了一个完全的披萨。` * **False Friend with "Totally":** While `完全` translates well to "totally" or "completely," be aware that the English "totally" can be a very informal filler word. `完全` does not function this way; it always adds strong, specific emphasis and is used across all levels of formality. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[都]] (dōu) - Refers to "all" of the subject, whereas `完全` refers to the completeness of the verb/adjective. * [[全部]] (quánbù) - A synonym meaning "all" or "the whole part," but used more often as a noun or to modify nouns. (e.g., `全部的钱` - all of the money). * [[整个]] (zhěnggè) - Means "the whole" or "the entire." Used to emphasize the entirety of a single noun (e.g., `整个晚上` - the whole evening). * [[彻底]] (chèdǐ) - A strong synonym meaning "thoroughly" or "completely to the root." It often implies a deeper, more fundamental level of completeness. (e.g., `彻底改变` - to change thoroughly). * [[绝对]] (juéduì) - Means "absolutely." While similar to `完全`, `绝对` often carries a stronger sense of subjective certainty or conviction, like making a promise or a firm judgment. * [[简直]] (jiǎnzhí) - An intensifier meaning "simply" or "practically." It's often used for exaggeration or to express disbelief (e.g., `简直不可思议!` - Simply unbelievable!). * [[完成]] (wánchéng) - A verb meaning "to complete" or "to finish." It contains the character `完` and describes the action of bringing something to a full stop.