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万能 (wàn néng) — omnipotent; all-powerful; all-purpose; universal; versatile

Definition

万能 highlights 'can do anything' — used for tools/solutions that fit every case, and for a person who can do everything. 全面 describes scope ('comprehensive'), while 全能 means 'versatile / strong in every area' (e.g. a player).

adjective
omnipotentall-powerfulall-purposeuniversalversatile

Examples

  • 万能。
    Méi yǒu rén shì wàn néng de.
    No one is omnipotent.
  • 万能。
    Zhè kuǎn wàn néng chōng diàn qì shì yòng yú suǒ yǒu shǒu jī xíng hào.
    This universal charger works for all phone models.
  • 万能。
    Shì jiè shàng méi yǒu wàn néng de jiě jué bàn fǎ.
    There is no universal solution in the world.

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.

万wànall
能néngcapability

All 万 capability 能 suggests omnipotence or versatility.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 萬; 万 is its simplified writing.

For 万, the form 萬 was originally a picture of a scorpion, later borrowed for its sound to write 'ten thousand'; the scorpion picture is unrelated to that number.

Open 万 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

能 is an old picture of a bear, showing two paws and a face with an open mouth.

Open 能 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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