总

The Chinese character 总 (zǒng) is composed of two parts: the radical 糸 (mì) and the phonetic component 冢 (zhǒng). The radical 糸 represents silk or thread, and it is often used in characters related to textiles or writing. The phonetic component 冢 represents a mound or tomb, and it is often used in characters related to death or burial.The character 总 originally meant "to gather together" or "to collect." Over time, it has come to mean "total," "overall," or "general." It is often used in titles or positions of authority, such as 总统 (zǒngtǒng, "president") or 总经理 (zǒngjīnglǐ, "general manager").The character 总 can also be used as a verb, meaning "to control" or "to manage." For example, the phrase 总揽全局 (zǒnglǎnquánjú) means "to have a comprehensive grasp of the situation."The character 总 is a common character in Chinese, and it is used in a wide variety of contexts. It is an important character to learn for HSK learners, as it is used in many everyday words and phrases.