总体 (zǒngtǐ)

总体 means overall or in general, used to describe something from a comprehensive, whole-picture perspective rather than focusing on individual parts.

Meanings

[adjective] overall; general; comprehensive
[adverb] on the whole; in general; overall

Example Sentences

总体来说，这次活动非常成功。 Zǒngtǐ lái shuō, zhè cì huódòng fēicháng chénggōng. Overall, this event was very successful.

公司总体表现不错，但还有改进的空间。 Gōngsī zǒngtǐ biǎoxiàn bùcuò, dàn hái yǒu gǎijìn de kōngjiān. The company's overall performance is good, but there is still room for improvement.

这个计划的总体方向是正确的。 Zhège jìhuà de zǒngtǐ fāngxiàng shì zhèngquè de. The overall direction of this plan is correct.

总体上，今年的经济情况比去年好。 Zǒngtǐ shàng, jīnnián de jīngjì qíngkuàng bǐ qùnián hǎo. On the whole, this year's economic situation is better than last year's.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
总体来说	generally speaking
总体方向	overall direction
总体水平	overall level
总体规划	overall planning

Usage Notes

总体 is often used at the beginning of a sentence in the phrases 总体来说 or 总体上 to summarize or give a general assessment. It is slightly more formal than 总的来说 and is common in reports, presentations, and formal writing. It focuses on the whole picture rather than details.

Memory Hook

总 means "overall/total" and 体 means "body/entity." So 总体 is the "total body": looking at everything as one complete whole.