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一概 (yī gài) — categorically; sweepingly; without exception (used to express a blanket rule or attitude)

Definition

一律's near-twin: 'without exception,' but 一概 is sharper and more emphatic, and typically appears before a negative verb to reject or deny a whole category (一概不 + V).

adverb
categoricallysweepinglywithout exception (used to express a blanket rule or attitude)

Examples

  • 一概。
    Suǒ yǒu shēn qǐng yī gài yóu píng shěn wěi yuán huì chǔ lǐ.
    All applications are handled by the review committee without exception.
  • 一概。
    Tā duì zhè xiē jiàn yì yī gài bù yǔ cǎi nà.
    He categorically refuses to accept any of these suggestions.
  • ，一概。
    Duì yú bù hé gé de chǎn pǐn, gōng sī yī gài tuì huò.
    For unqualified products, the company returns them without exception.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

一yīwhole
概gàigeneral

'一' means whole and '概' means general, together without exception.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
既
既jì概gài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

概 pairs 木 (wood) with 既 as its sound part; the character meant a strickle.

Open 概 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Quantity & Amount

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