wánquán: 完全 - Complete, Whole, Totally

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• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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.

`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 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.

• `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.

• 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.