Comparison of "凡是" and "所有"

In Chinese, both "凡是" (fánshì) and "所有" (suǒyǒu) refer to "all" or "every", but they are used in different contexts and have slightly different nuances.

凡是 (fánshì)

"凡是" means "everything that" or "anyone who". It is used to refer to all objects or people in a certain category or to express a general rule.

• For example: Everything he says is true. - 凡是他说的，都是事实。(Fánshì tā shuō de, dōu shì shìshí.)
• For example: Anyone who wants to come must register. - 凡是想来的人，都需要登记。(Fánshì xiǎng lái de rén, dōu xūyào dēngjì.)

所有 (suǒyǒu)

"所有" means "all" or "every". It is used to refer to all objects or people in a certain set or group and is often used before a noun.

• For example: All the students came to the class. - 所有的学生都来了。(Suǒyǒu de xuéshēng dōu lái le.)
• For example: All these books belong to him. - 所有这些书都是他的。(Suǒyǒu zhèxiē shū dōu shì tā de.)

Main Differences

• Context: "凡是" is often used to refer to all objects or people in a certain category or to express a general rule, whereas "所有" is used to refer to all objects or people in a specific set or group.
• Usage: "凡是" is typically used as an introductory word in sentences, while "所有" is usually used before nouns.

Examples

Here are some sentences illustrating the differences between "凡是" and "所有":

• 凡是 (fánshì):
  • Everything he says is true. - 凡是他说的，都是事实。(Fánshì tā shuō de, dōu shì shìshí.)
  • Anyone who wants to come must register. - 凡是想来的人，都需要登记。(Fánshì xiǎng lái de rén, dōu xūyào dēngjì.)
• 所有 (suǒyǒu):
  • All the students came to the class. - 所有的学生都来了。(Suǒyǒu de xuéshēng dōu lái le.)
  • All these books belong to him. - 所有这些书都是他的。(Suǒyǒu zhèxiē shū dōu shì tā de.)