Meaning
整个 means 'entire' or 'whole' and is used to emphasize the completeness of something. It modifies nouns to indicate that you're referring to all of something without exception. It's commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese to stress totality.
Usage
整个 appears before the noun it modifies, often paired with measure words. Native speakers use it to emphasize completeness or totality in everyday conversation and formal writing. It's neutral in register and very common in phrases like 整个世界 (the whole world), 整个过程 (the entire process), and 整个人 (the whole person/one's entire being).
Examples
- 01他把整个周末都用来学习。.He spent the entire weekend studying.
- 02整个事情让我很吃惊。.The whole matter really surprised me.
Characters
Common collocations
- 整个世界the whole world
- 整个过程the entire process
- 整个人the whole person, one's entire being
- 整个城市the entire city
Antonyms
Origin
整 originally meant 'to arrange in order' or 'complete', while 个 is the most common measure word. Together they form a compound emphasizing the totality of a countable entity.