全然
ぜんぜん
hepburn zenzen
not at all (with negative)
Part of speech · adverb
Pattern visualization
no decomposition available
Examples
- 全然分かりません。I don't understand at all.
- 全然大丈夫です!Totally fine!
Collocations
全然 (zenzen, at all / totally)全然〜ない (zenzen ~nai, not at all)全然大丈夫 (zenzen daijoubu, totally fine — modern)まったく (mattaku, completely)ちっとも (chittomo, not at all)
Mnemonic
全然 zenzen — 全 (whole) + 然 (thus): "wholly so." For decades only 全然〜ない (not at all) counted as correct grammar, yet on the street today "zenzen daijoubu" lives as a positive intensifier. Meiji and Taisho records carried positive use first — so this is a return, not a fall. Kanji-reading kin: 全 reads Korean 'jeon', Mandarin quán.
Quick check
Meaning of 全然大丈夫 in modern Japanese?