总之 (zǒngzhī) — in short; in a word
HSK 4 | conjunction / adverb | in short; in summary; in a word
总之 (zǒngzhī)
总之 is a discourse marker used to introduce a summary or conclusion after listing several points, equivalent to "in short," "in a word," or "to sum up."
Meanings
- [conjunction/adverb] in short; in a word; to sum up; in summary
Example Sentences
总之，这件事很复杂。 Zǒngzhī, zhè jiàn shì hěn fùzá. In short, this matter is very complicated.
他聪明、努力、善良，总之是个好人。 Tā cōngmíng, nǔlì, shànliáng, zǒngzhī shì gè hǎorén. He is smart, hardworking, and kind -- in a word, he is a good person.
总之，我们需要找到一个解决方案。 Zǒngzhī, wǒmen xūyào zhǎodào yīgè jiějué fāng'àn. In short, we need to find a solution.
不管怎样，总之你要努力。 Bùguǎn zěnyàng, zǒngzhī nǐ yào nǔlì. No matter what, the bottom line is you must work hard.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 总之一句话 | in one word / in short |
| 总之来说 | generally speaking |
| 总之就是 | basically it is |
| 总之而言 | to summarize |
Usage Notes
总之 typically appears at the beginning of a sentence to wrap up a discussion or introduce a final point. It is more abrupt and conclusive than 总的来说 (generally speaking), which tends to soften the summary. Use 总之 when you want to cut to the point after giving examples or reasons.
Memory Hook
ZONG (总 = overall/all) + ZHI (之 = of/this): bringing everything together -- in short.