全 means “all, whole”

ぜん · zen

Also: entire, complete

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

まったく, すべて

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ゼン

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 3 · 6 strokes

The story

A cover shaped like 人 over a king's (王) treasure: picture the hoard kept whole, not one piece missing. 全部 is all of it, 安全 is safe and sound, and 全然 turns a plain "no" into "not at all".

Used in 全部 (zenbu, all), 全然 (zenzen, not at all), and 安全 (anzen, safety)

More from How Much, How Many

• 最 most
• 加 add
• 増 increase
• 両 both
• 割 split
• 種 seed
• 程 extent
• 積 pile up
• 単 single
• 類 kind
• 余 surplus
• 等 equal

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.