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Kotomora

総

general, whole, all, full, total

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · grade 5FrequencyTop 200Strokes14

Readings

On'yomi

  • ソウ

Kun'yomi

  • す.べて
  • すべ.て
  • ふさ

Nanori

  • うさ
  • ずさ

Meaning

総 centers on bringing everything together into one complete whole: the general, total, or all-encompassing aspect of something.

Most common words using 総

24 of 384
  • 総そう
    N2

    whole; total; gross; entire; overall; general (election, manager, etc.)

  • 総合そうごう
    N1

    synthesis; combination; integration; putting together

  • 総理そうり
    N1

    prime minister (as the head of a cabinet government); premier

  • 総務そうむ

    general affairs; general business; manager; director; adjutant general

  • 総裁そうさい
    N1

    president (of an organization); director general; governor (of a central bank); party leader (esp. LDP)

  • 総額そうがく

    total amount (of money); total sum; sum total

  • 総会そうかい
    N1

    general meeting

  • 総督そうとく

    governor-general; governor; viceroy

  • 総統そうとう

    supreme ruler; generalissimo

  • 総括そうかつ

    summarization; summary; generalization

  • 総数そうすう
    N1

    total (number); count

  • 総長そうちょう

    president (of a university); vice-chancellor; chancellor

  • 総勢そうぜい

    all members; whole army

  • 総計そうけい

    total; sum total; total amount

  • 総体そうたい

    the whole; all

  • 総帥そうすい

    commander-in-chief; leader; head of a group of companies

  • 総力そうりょく

    total energy; all efforts

  • 総動員そうどういん

    general mobilization; full mobilization

  • 総監そうかん

    inspector general; commissioner

  • 総量そうりょう

    aggregate amount

  • 総本山そうほんざん

    head temple of a Buddhist sect

  • 総意そうい

    consensus; collective will; collective opinion

  • 総評そうひょう

    general comment

  • 総論そうろん
    N1

    general remarks

Explore all words using 総 →

Study

Etymology

総 is the modern simplified form of 總. The older form combines 糸 (thread) with 悤, which likely contributed the sound and the idea of gathering or bundling together. The modern right side 忩 is a simplification.

Meaning mnemonic

Thread 糸 on the left and a gathering shape 忩 on the right: picture many threads being bundled together into one total whole.

Reading mnemonic

For ソウ, imagine sewing all the threads together into one complete piece: sew -> ソウ, and the threads become the total fabric.