“All” and “Total” in Chinese

Grammar Point:
In Chinese, 一共 yígòng (total) is primarily used for expressing the total quantity or sum, while 全 quán (all) emphasizes the completeness or entirety of something.

Structure

一共 yígòng + (V) + Numbers

It is used to indicate the total or overall quantity of something.

明天míngtiān一共yígòng5 個ge人rén要yào來lái明天míngtiān一共yígòng5 个ge人rén要yào来lái
Tomorrow, a total of five people are coming.

我們wǒmen去qù美國měiguó旅遊lǚyóu一共yígòng花huā了le10 萬wàn元yuán我们wǒmen去qù美国měiguó旅游lǚyóu一共yígòng花huā了le10 万wàn元yuán
We spent a total of 100,000 yuan on our trip to the United States.

今天jīntiān一共yígòng學xué了le25 個ge單字dānzì今天jīntiān一共yígòng学xué了le25 个ge单词dāncí
Today, we learned a total of 25 words.

台灣Táiwān原住民yuánzhùmín一共yígòng有yǒu16 族zú台湾Táiwān原住民yuánzhùmín一共yígòng有yǒu16 族zú
There are total 16 tribes of aborigines in Taiwan.

一共yígòng幾jǐ杯bēi咖啡kāfēi？ 一共yígòng几jǐ杯bēi咖啡kāfēi？
How many cups of coffee in total?

一杯yìbēi咖啡kāfēi， 兩個liǎngge蛋糕dàngāo， 一共yígòng多少錢duōshǎoqián？ 一杯yìbēi咖啡kāfēi， 两个liǎngge蛋糕dàngāo， 一共yígòng多少钱duōshǎoqián？
One cup of coffee, two cakes, how much does it cost in total?

全 quán + N

全 quán emphasizes the completeness or entirety of something so often go with adverb 都 dōu. It is typically paired up with nouns like 身 shēn (body), 家 jiā (family), 國国 guó (country), 世界 shìjiè (world), 天 tiān (day), and similar ones.

我們wǒmen全家人quánjiārén都dōu會huì說shuō英文yīngwén我们wǒmen全家人quánjiārén都dōu会huì说shuō英文yīngwén
My whole family can speak English.

全quán公司gōngsī的de人rén都dōu很hěn生氣shēngqì全quán公司gōngsī的de人rén都dōu很hěn生气shēngqì
Everyone in the company is very angry.

台灣Táiwān全quán年nián都dōu會huì下雨xiàyǔ台湾Táiwān全quán年nián都dōu会huì下雨xiàyǔ
It rains all year round in Taiwan.

全 quán + V

我們wǒmen全quán都dōu不bù相信xiāngxìn你nǐ說shuō的de話huà我们wǒmen全quán都dōu不bù相信xiāngxìn你nǐ说shuō的de话huà
None of us believe what you’re saying.

員工yuángōng全quán都dōu走zǒu了le员工yuángōng全quán都dōu走zǒu了le
All the employees have left.

我wǒ全quán都dōu吃chī完wán了le我wǒ全quán都dōu吃chī完wán了le
I finished eating everything.

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ I want to do a full body check.

我wǒ想xiǎng做zuò全身quánshēn健檢jiànjiǎn我wǒ想xiǎng做zuò全身quánshēn健检jiànjiǎn

✔️ How long have you studied Chinese in total?

你nǐ一共yígòng學xué了le多久duōjiǔ中文zhōngwén？ 你nǐ一共yígòng学xué了le多久duōjiǔ中文zhōngwén？

✔️ Last year we all did not go abroad.

去年qùnián我們wǒmen全quán都dōu沒méi出國chūguó去年qùnián我们wǒmen全quán都dōu没méi出国chūguó