Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 所有 | suǒyǒu | /su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) | |
| …都 | …dōu | ||
| 所有 | só͘-ū | /sɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ u²²/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Sinological IPA) /sɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ u³³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Sinological IPA) |
Hokkien |
| 攏 / 拢 | lóng | Hokkien |
When you want to express that every individual of a certain class is included, you use 所有 as a determiner. For example, to say 'all [people/things] are [adjective/verb]', the standard pattern is 所有 + [Noun] + 都 + [Verb/Adjective].
Which one should you use?
In Hokkien, 所有 (só͘-ū) is a determiner placed before a noun, while 攏 / 拢 (lóng) is an adverb meaning 'all' or 'entirely' that is placed before the verb.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Cantonese dialect, you can use 全部 (cyun1 bou6) or 所有嘅 (so2 jau5 ge3) to mean 'all'. In the Taiwanese dialect, 全 (chuân) can be used to mean 'all'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using a word like 所有 to describe a subject, the adverb 都 is typically required before the verb to complete the sense of 'all are…'.
How do you pronounce it?
só͘-ū (/su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/)
Did you know?
- The character 攏 used in Hokkien originally combined the radical for 'hand' with a phonetic component, reflecting an ancient sense of gathering things together with the hands.
- The word 所有 literally translates to 'all have', blending the concept of 'everything' with the concept of 'possession'.
- While 所有 is used for 'all' in a general sense, Chinese speakers use different words for 'all' depending on whether they mean 'every single one' or 'the entirety of one single thing'.
Examples in context
- 所有狗都活着。All the dogs are alive.This sentence shows how to use 所有 with a noun and the adverb 都 to describe a state.Tatoeba #7772562 by jiangche, translation #51784 by CK
- 請回答所有問題。Please answer all the questions.This example demonstrates using 所有 to modify a noun in a request.Tatoeba #5710173 by xjjAstrus, translation #273706 by CK
- 我賣掉所有舊書。I've sold all of my old books.This sentence shows the use of 所有 to indicate a quantity of objects.Tatoeba #13118972 by LeviHighway, translation #6351195 by CK
- 所有学生都应该参加会议。All the students should attend the meeting.
- 这个项目需要全体员工的共同努力。This project requires the collective effort of all employees.
- 我把全部的工作都完成了。I have completed all the work.
- 这个活动适合所有的年龄段。This activity is suitable for all age groups.
- 286 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Xiaowen are checking their luggage before a trip.
- 志强 Zhiqiang晓雯，所有行李都准备好了吗？Xiǎowén, suǒyǒu xínglǐ dōu zhǔnbèi hǎo le ma?Xiaowen, is all the luggage ready?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen准备好了，我已经检查过了。Zhǔnbèi hǎo le, wǒ yǐjīng jiǎnchá guò le.It's ready, I've already checked it.
- 志强 Zhiqiang所有护照都在你的包里吗？Suǒyǒu hùzhào dōu zài nǐ de bāo lǐ ma?Are all the passports in your bag?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen是的，都在这里。Shì de, dōu zài zhèlǐ.Yes, they are all here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “all” translations and entries 所有, 所有, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 攏, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
