HSK 5
总之
zǒngzhī
in short
Structure
Previous statements + 总之 + Summary/Conclusion
How it works
总之 is a conjunction used to summarize what has been previously mentioned or to draw a final conclusion from various circumstances. It translates to 'in short,' 'in brief,' or 'anyway' and is often used to simplify a complex situation into a single main point.
Examples
虽然工作很辛苦，压力也大，总之我学到了很多东西。
Suīrán gōngzuò hěn xīnkǔ, yālì yě dà, zǒngzhī wǒ xuédàole hěnduō dōngxi.
Although the work is hard and the pressure is high, in short, I have learned a lot.
有人支持，也有人反对，总之我们要按计划进行。
Yǒurén zhīchí, yě yǒurén fǎnduì, zǒngzhī wǒmen yào àn jìhuà jìnxíng.
Some people support it, others oppose it; anyway, we must proceed according to the plan.
总之，这次失败是我们自己准备不足造成的。
Zǒngzhī, zhè cì shībài shì wǒmen zìjǐ zhǔnbèi bùzú zàochéng de.
In short, this failure was caused by our own lack of preparation.
Common mistakes
Mixing up '总之' (summary/conclusion) with '最终' (final outcome/time sequence). Use '总之' when you want to simplify multiple points into one thought.
Tip
Think of '总之' as a verbal 'equal sign' (=). Whatever comes after it should represent the sum or core meaning of everything you just said before it.
More HSK 5 grammar
See 总之 in real Chinese
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