総そう帥すい

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Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

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

Refers to the top leader of a military force, political party, or business conglomerate. Often used in formal or journalistic contexts.

彼かれはその企き業ぎょうグループの総そう帥すいとして知しられている。
He is known as the head of that corporate group.
軍ぐんの総そう帥すいが作さく戦せんを指し揮きした。
The commander-in-chief of the military directed the operation.

See all 6 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉の総そう帥すいに就しゅう任にんするto assume the post of commander-in-chief (of an organization)
彼かれはその企き業ぎょうグループの総そう帥すいに就しゅう任にんした。
He assumed the position of commander-in-chief of the corporate group.
〈人ひと〉を総そう帥すいに据すえるto install someone as the supreme leader
党とうは若わか手て議ぎ員いんを新あらたな総そう帥すいに据すえた。
The party installed the young legislator as its new supreme leader.
総そう帥すいとして指し揮きを執とるto take command in one's capacity as commander-in-chief
彼かれは総そう帥すいとして全ぜん軍ぐんの指し揮きを執とった。
As commander-in-chief, he took command of the entire army.

Kanji

総general, whole, all
帥commander, leading troops, governor

Related words

総そう裁さいN1
総裁 typically refers to the president or head of a political party or large organization, while 総帥 emphasizes supreme, often military-flavored command over a group.
元げん帥すい
元帥 is a specific, formally conferred military rank (marshal/admiral), while 総帥 is a broader term for whoever stands at the top of any military, political, or business organization.
司し令れい官かん
司令官 specifically denotes a military officer in command of troops or a unit, whereas 総帥 can apply just as well to the head of a political party or corporate group.
首しゅ領りょう
首領 often carries a negative or criminal connotation (e.g. the boss of a gang), while 総帥 is neutral or even respectful, used for legitimate military or business leaders.

Don't confuse with

統とう帥すい
統帥 is the act of supreme command (a noun/verbal noun meaning 'to command'), while 総帥 is the person who holds that position of command.

Counted with

名めいN2
Used when counting people in an organizational or formal context; for a leader/head of a group this is the natural choice from the inventory.

Etymology

Composed of 総 (overall, general) and 帥 (commander, leader). The character 帥 originally referred to a military commander, and the compound carries a sense of supreme or overarching leadership.