都 vs 全 (dōu vs quán): all, every, or entire? | Mandarin scope adverbs
都 distributes over members of a group, meaning 'every one' – it is the standard universal quantifier. 全 stresses the completeness of a whole, often as an adjective meaning 'whole' or 'entire'. They overlap when referring to the entire group, but 都 is more versatile for 'all' and 全 typically modifies a noun or acts as an adverb meaning 'completely'.
都 (dōu) is the primary adverb meaning 'all' – it quantifies over every member of a set (e.g., 他们都来了 'they all came'). 全 (quán) emphasises the entirety of a single entity or group, often used as an adjective meaning 'whole' (e.g., 全班 'whole class') or as an adverb meaning 'completely' (e.g., 全对 'completely correct'). The two can combine to form 全都 (quán dōu), which reinforces both completeness and distribution. A critical distinction is negation: 都不 means 'none' (everyone does not), while 不都 means 'not all' (some do, some don't).
When to use each
Use 都 when you want to say that something applies to every member of a plural group – it is the standard universal quantifier. It can also express 'already' with a subjective sense (都...了) or 'even' in the structure 连...都.
都 can be used with singular nouns when they represent a group (e.g., 全校都知道 'the whole school knows'), but it always distributes over individuals. It is not used as an adjective modifying a noun.
Use 全 as an adjective to modify a noun, meaning 'whole' or 'entire' (e.g., 全世界 'the whole world', 全家 'the whole family'). As an adverb, it means 'completely' (e.g., 全对 'completely correct'). It often co-occurs with 都 for emphasis.
全 is not used alone as a universal quantifier for people (e.g., do not say *全学生* for 'all students'; use 所有学生 or 全体学生). It can mean 'all' in set phrases like 全国 'the whole country'.
At a glance
| 都 | 全 | |
|---|---|---|
| Core meaning | Every member of a set (distributive) | The entire entity (collective) |
| Part of speech | Adverb (always before the verb) | Adjective (modifying noun) or adverb |
| Typical usage | 他们都去 (they all go); 都不 (none) | 全班 (whole class); 全走 (all leave, less common) |
| Negation | 都不 = 'none'; 不都 = 'not all' | 不全 = 'not complete'; rarely used adverbially |
| Common collocations | 都 'all' + verb; 连...都 'even' | 全 + noun (全家); 全 + verb (全懂 'understand completely') |
| Example with 'the whole class' | 全班同学都来了 (the whole class all came – both used) | 全班同学都来了 (全 modifies the noun, 都 quantifies over members) |
Examples
- 都我们都喜欢这个电影。Wǒmen dōu xǐhuān zhège diànyǐng.We all like this movie.都 distributes 'like' to every member of 'we'.
- 全全家人一起去旅行。Quán jiā rén yīqǐ qù lǚxíng.The whole family goes on a trip together.全 modifies the noun 'family' to mean the entire unit.
- 全他全都吃完了。Tā quán dōu chī wán le.He ate all of it completely.全 reinforces completeness; 都 distributes over the items – a natural collocation.
- 都他们都不来。Tāmen dōu bù lái.None of them are coming.都不 means 'all not' (none). Contrast with 不都.
- 都他们不都来。Tāmen bù dōu lái.Not all of them are coming.不都 is the correct way to say 'not all'.
- 全全世界都知道这件事。Quán shìjiè dōu zhīdào zhè jiàn shì.The whole world knows about this matter.全 modifies 世界; 都 quantifies over individuals in the world.
Common mistakes
- Using 全 alone as a universal quantifier for people: ✗ 全学生去 – should be 所有学生都去 (all students go) or 全体学生去.
- Confusing 都不 and 不都: ✗ 他们都不来 means 'they all are not coming' (none come); if you mean 'not all are coming', use 不都.
- Using 都 with a singular subject for simple 'all': ✗ 他都好 (he all good) – should be 他样样都好 (he is good at everything) or 他全好 (he is completely fine) depending on intended meaning.
- Omitting 都 when needed: ✗ 他们全来了 is correct as 'the whole group came', but for 'each one came' you must say 他们全都来了 or 他们都来了.
- Treating 全 as a verb: ✗ 我全英语 (I entire English) – 全 is not a verb.
FAQ
- When do I use 都 vs 全?
- Use 都 to say 'every one of a group does something' (distributive). Use 全 as an adjective meaning 'whole' or as an adverb meaning 'completely'. For 'all of us', 我们都 (every one of us) is the most common; for 'the whole family', say 全家. They can combine: 全都 means 'every single part of the whole'.
- How do I negate 都 correctly?
- To say 'none/not any', place 不 after 都: 都不 (dōu bù). To say 'not all', place 不 before 都: 不都 (bù dōu). Example: 他们都不来 = 'none of them come'; 他们不都来 = 'not all of them come'. This is a common confusion point.
- Can 全 be used alone as an adverb like 都?
- Yes, but only in the sense of 'completely' or 'entirely', e.g., 全对 (completely correct), 全新 (brand new). It cannot replace 都 as a universal quantifier. For example, *全学生* is wrong; use 所有学生 or 全体学生.
- What does 全都 mean?
- 全都 (quán dōu) combines both meanings: it emphasizes both the entirety of the set (全) and distribution over each member (都). It is common in colloquial speech, e.g., 我们全都到了 (we have all arrived – each one of the whole group).