whole · complete

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 全 expresses entirety or completeness and has the on-reading ぜん.
• Basic usage: 全部(ぜんぶ) means all or everything, while 全員(ぜんいん) means all members of a group.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• What counts as all
  • In 机の上の本を全部読みました, all refers to the books on the desk. In 参加者全員, the participants define the group being counted.