总之 · 一般来说
in short, all in all: sums up · generally speaking: says what is usually true
Structure
总之 ， 结论 · 一般来说 ， ……
What it means
总之 sums up everything before it: “in short, all in all”. 一般来说 says what is usually true: “generally speaking”.
How it is built
……。总之，+ conclusion: 内容好，结构也清楚。总之，你的演讲很不错 (all in all, your speech is very good). 一般来说，……: 一般来说，中国人晚上六七点吃晚饭.
When to use it
总的来说 does the same job as 总之 and sounds a little softer. In conversation 总之 can also mean “anyway”: 总之，你别担心了. 一般来说 leaves room for exceptions, so 但是 or 不过 often follows.
Watch out
After 总之 comes a conclusion, not a new point: ✗ 总之，我们还去了长城。 ✓ 总之，这次旅行不太愉快。
Examples
天气不好，人又多，东西又贵。总之，这次旅行不太愉快。
The weather was bad, it was crowded and everything was expensive. All in all, the trip wasn’t much fun.
内容好，结构也清楚。总之，你的演讲很不错。
Good content, and a clear structure too. All in all, your speech is very good.
一般来说，中国人晚上六七点吃晚饭。
Generally speaking, Chinese people have dinner at six or seven in the evening.
Learn this in HSK 4 · Lesson 22: 演讲比赛 (The speech contest)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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