Meaning
一切 means 'everything' or 'all' in a comprehensive, all-encompassing sense. It emphasizes totality and completeness, referring to all things, matters, or aspects without exception. This word is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese to express the idea of 'everything without leaving anything out.'
Usage
一切 is frequently used before nouns (一切事情 'all matters') or stands alone as 'everything.' It appears in both formal writing and everyday conversation. Common in phrases expressing totality like 一切都好 ('everything is fine') or 一切顺利 ('everything goes smoothly'). It carries a slightly more formal or emphatic tone than simply using 所有 or 全部.
Examples
- 01一切都会好起来的。.Everything will get better.
- 02我已经准备好一切了。.I've already prepared everything.
Characters
Common collocations
- 一切都everything (all)
- 一切顺利everything goes smoothly
- 一切正常everything is normal
- 一切都好everything is fine
Antonyms
Origin
Originally from Buddhist texts, where 切 in this context means 'to cut through' or 'to include by cutting/dividing' - thus 一切 literally suggests 'one cutting' or 'all divisions,' meaning everything without exception.