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总计 (zǒng jì) — to total, to amount to

Definition

总计 is a formal written verb meaning a final grand total — a single overall sum. 共计 is a close synonym, but 总计 emphasizes the conclusive total more; 累计 stresses accumulation over time.

verb
to totalto amount to

Examples

  • 总计。
    Zhè cì huó dòng fèi yòng zǒng jì wǔ qiān yuán.
    The cost of this event totals five thousand yuan.
  • 总计。
    Quán bān tóng xué zǒng jì sān shí rén.
    The whole class totals thirty students.
  • 总计。
    Zhè xiē juān kuǎn zǒng jì shí wàn yuán.
    These donations amount to one hundred thousand yuan.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

总zǒngoverall
计jìcalculate

总 means overall, and 计 means to calculate.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 總; 总 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
悤
悤cōng總zǒng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 總 has 糸, a rope, and 悤 as a sound part; the rope part is for binding together. This account is for 總, not for 总.

Open 总 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 計; 计 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 計 pairs 言 (say) with 十 (all). The simplified 计 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical shape.

Open 计 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Math

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