総そう統とう

そ

う

と

う

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

General term for an absolute leader with military and political power; can be used historically or in fictional settings.

その国くにでは総そう統とうが全ぜん権けんを握にぎっていた。
In that country, the supreme ruler held all the power.

noun

president (of Taiwan)

Specifically used for the president of Taiwan; a conventional translation distinct from 大統領.

台たい湾わんの総そう統とうが演えん説ぜつを行おこなった。
The president of Taiwan gave a speech.

noun

Führer; Fuehrer

historical term

Historical term for Adolf Hitler's title; often used in WWII contexts. Cross-referenced with フューラー.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が総そう統とうに就しゅう任にんするfor someone to assume the office of president/Führer
彼かれは先せん月げつ、総そう統とうに就しゅう任にんした。
He took office as president last month.
総そう統とうを務つとめるto serve as the president/supreme leader
彼かの女じょは八はち年ねん間かん、総そう統とうを務つとめた。
She served as president for eight years.
〈国くに〉の総そう統とうthe president/leader of a country
台たい湾わんの総そう統とうが来らい日にちした。
Taiwan's president visited Japan.

Kanji

総general, whole, all
統overall, relationship, ruling

Related words

大だい統とう領りょうN4sense 2
大統領 is the standard word for 'president' used for most countries, while 総統 is reserved for Taiwan's president or a historical/fictional supreme ruler.
フューラー sense 3
フューラー is the katakana transliteration of German 'Führer', while 総統 is the kanji term traditionally used in Japanese historical writing for the same title.
元げん首しゅN1sense 1
元首 is a neutral, general term for 'head of state', while 総統 specifically implies absolute military-political authority.

Don't confuse with

統とう領りょう sense 1
統領 shares the kanji 統 with 総統 but means a more ordinary 'chief' or 'commander', not a national supreme ruler.

Word family

総そう統とう選せん挙きょ
presidential election

Etymology

Compound of 総 (general, overall) and 統 (govern, rule). The term was adopted in modern Japanese to translate 'Führer' and later extended to other supreme rulers and the president of Taiwan.