総
general, whole, all, full, total
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
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.