全(quán) vs 都(dōu)

全 (quán) vs 都 (dōu)

全/都 + predicate

As adverbs, 全 and 都 both express range. When emphasizing all things or people are included, 全 and 都 are interchangeable.

e.g.

我生病了，同学们今天全/都来看我了。(Wǒ shēngbìngle, tóngxuémen jīntiān quán/dōu lái kàn wǒle.)

I’m sick, all of my classmates came to see me today.

 

我吃饱了，这些菜全/都是你的。(Wǒ chī bǎole, zhèxiē cài quán/dōu shì nǐ de.)

I’m full. All of these dishes are yours.

都 (dōu)

When emphasizing each of the persons or things, only 都 can be used.

At the beginning of the sentence with the words like “每” “各” “任何”，or reduplicated noun or measure word like “人人” “个个” “家家”, or words like “什么” “谁” “怎么” “哪儿”.

e.g.

任何人都不可以进我的房间。(Rènhé rén dōu bù kěyǐ jìn wǒ de fángjiān.) No one can enter my room.

 

弟弟太可爱了，家里个个都喜欢他。(Dìdi tài kě’àile, jiālǐ gè gè dōu xǐhuān tā.) My brother is so cute, everyone in the family likes him.

 

下雨了，哪儿都不能去。(Xià yǔle, nǎr dōu bùnéng qù.) It’s raining, I can’t go anywhere.

When emphasizing the majority of people or things, only 都 can be used.

e.g.

很多人都喜欢吃中国菜。(Hěnduō rén dōu xǐhuān chī Zhōngguó cài.)

Many people like to eat Chinese food.

 

今天下大雪，大部分学生都迟到了。(Jīntiān xià dàxuě, dà bùfèn xuéshēng dōu chídàole.)

It snowed heavily today, and most of the students were late.

When indicating a conditional relation, only 都 can be used. There are some common patterns, such as “尽管……，都……” “无论……，都……” “不论……，都……”.

e.g.

不管你是谁，都不可以打小孩。(Bùguǎn nǐ shì shéi, dōu bù kěyǐ dǎ xiǎohái.)

No matter who you are, you cannot hit a child.

全 (quán)

When indicating a degree, only “全” can be used.

e.g.

下午6点，天就全黑了。(Xiàwǔ 6 diǎn, tiān jiù quán hēile.)

At 6 o’clock in the afternoon, it was all dark.

 

这是一个全新的手机，送给你。(Zhè shì yīgè quánxīn de shǒujī, sòng gěi nǐ.)

This is a brand new phone, for you.

Note that the negative forms of “全” and “都” are “不全” and “不都”. They are both partial negations.

e.g.

班上不全是女生。(Bān shàng bùquán shì nǚshēng.)

They are not all girls in the class.

>> There are also boys in the class.

 

这件事不都是你的错。(Zhè jiàn shì bù dōu shì nǐ de cuò.)

It’s not all your fault.

>> There might be some other reasons to cause the consequence, not just you.