Chinese Grammar: All about “all”
Are you wondering about the use of “all” in Chinese? No worries, we are here to help, let us explain it all.
There are a lot of ways of saying “all” in Chinese. This tiny word has lots of equivalents, and the small differences between them can be confusing.
都, 全, 什么 ... 都, 任何, 所有 and 一切 mean “all”! Let's see how to know which one to use and when.
The first we often learn and the most common word for “all” is 都.
Structure
Subject + 都 + Verb or Phrase
Examples
现在 大家 都 知道了。
Everyone knows now.
我们 都 喜欢 你。
We all like you.
周末 我 哪儿 都 没 去。
I didn't go anywhere at all this weekend.
全 means “the whole": it indicates the entirety of something. 全部 is equivalent to 全 and can be used indifferently.
Structure
全/全部 + Noun
Examples
我 的 全部 行李 都 收拾 好 了。
All my luggage is packed.
明天 我 全天 都 在 家。
I am going to stay home all day tomorrow.
全世界 的 人 都 知道。
The whole world knows it.
人 都 来 全 了 吗?
Is everybody here?
It’s a pattern often used by the Chinese to express “all” and “everything”.
Structure
Something + 什么 + 都 + Verb/Adjective
Examples
爸爸 什么 都 知道。
My dad knows everything.
我 什么 都 爱 吃。
I like eating all kinds of food.
他 什么 都 不知 道。
He doesn't know anything.
所有(的)... 都 is also a useful structure to express “all”. Usually, it is used to refer to "every" or to "all" when the quantity is mostly large.
Structure
所有(的) + Noun + 都 + Adjective
Examples
所有 人 都 到 饭店 了。
Everyone has arrived at the restaurant.
所有 的 东西 都 在 这儿。
All the things are here.
所有 问题 都 解决 了。
All the problems were solved.
一切 can both be an adjective and a pronoun. It can only refer to things that are not considered as a collection of individual units.
Structure
一切 + Adjective or
一切 + 都 + something
Examples
祝 你 一切 顺利！
Hope it all goes well for you!
一切 都 结束 了。
It is all finished.
我 喜欢 这里 的 一切。
I like everything about here.
任何 literally means “any”, but it means “any and all”, like in English.
Structure
任何 + noun
Examples
别 告诉 任何 人！
Don't tell anyone!
学校 没有 任何 责任。
The school doesn't have any responsibility (in this).
我 现在 不能 吃 任何 东西。
I cannot eat anything now.
We are working on the application, please come back in few minutes.
Pay attention to the fact that 都 should be used after the subject. A common mistake is to put 都 at the beginning of the sentence. It’s not appropriate in Chinese, so watch out little dragon!