总的来说 for an Overall Assessment in Chinese
总的来说
总的来说 is a fixed discourse phrase that introduces an overall assessment after details have been considered. It commonly appears at the beginning of a sentence or clause and guides the listener toward a conclusion rather than a new supporting detail. Standard usage writes 的, not 地, inside this established expression.
Published July 25, 2026
Reviewed July 25, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
总的来说，overall assessment
Read the structure
总的来说 is a fixed discourse phrase that introduces an overall assessment after details have been considered. It commonly appears at the beginning of a sentence or clause and guides the listener toward a conclusion rather than a new supporting detail. Standard usage writes 的, not 地, inside this established expression. Keep the model 总的来说，overall assessment visible while you compare each sentence.
总的来说，这次合作很顺利。
Overall, this cooperation went smoothly.
Choose the right context
Introduce an overall evaluation after considering several details. Place the fixed phrase at the start of the assessment clause. Use it to shift from individual observations to a general conclusion.
总的来说，这个方案利大于弊。
Generally speaking, this plan has more advantages than disadvantages.
Respect the boundary
Do not write 总地来说 in edited standard prose. Do not use it merely to add another supporting point. Do not attach an aspect particle to the fixed discourse phrase.
总地来说，这次合作很顺利。
(Overall, this cooperation went smoothly.)
Repair the pattern
Using 地 inside the fixed phrase: 总的来说 is an established fixed phrase in standard usage; the normative form uses 的 rather than 地. Attaching 了 to the discourse phrase: The phrase introduces an overall conclusion and is not an event verb, so it cannot take aspect 了.
总的来说，这次合作很顺利。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
总的来说，这次合作很顺利。
Overall, this cooperation went smoothly.
总的来说
总的来说，overall assessment
This part occupies the 总的来说，overall assessment position in the model pattern.
，
总的来说，overall assessment
This part occupies the 总的来说，overall assessment position in the model pattern.
这次
总的来说，overall assessment
This part occupies the 总的来说，overall assessment position in the model pattern.
合作
总的来说，overall assessment
This part occupies the 总的来说，overall assessment position in the model pattern.
很
总的来说，overall assessment
This part occupies the 总的来说，overall assessment position in the model pattern.
顺利
总的来说，overall assessment
This part occupies the 总的来说，overall assessment position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
总的来说，这次合作很顺利。
Overall, this cooperation went smoothly.
总的来说，这个方案利大于弊。
Generally speaking, this plan has more advantages than disadvantages.
数据有一些变化，但总的来说趋势没有改变。
The data changed somewhat, but overall the trend did not change.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Introduce an overall evaluation after considering several details.
- Place the fixed phrase at the start of the assessment clause.
- Use it to shift from individual observations to a general conclusion.
Do not use it when
- Do not write 总地来说 in edited standard prose.
- Do not use it merely to add another supporting point.
- Do not attach an aspect particle to the fixed discourse phrase.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
总地来说，这次合作很顺利。
总的来说，这次合作很顺利。
Using 地 inside the fixed phrase
总的来说 is an established fixed phrase in standard usage; the normative form uses 的 rather than 地.
总的来说了，这个方案值得采用。
总的来说，这个方案值得采用。
Attaching 了 to the discourse phrase
The phrase introduces an overall conclusion and is not an event verb, so it cannot take aspect 了.
总地来说，这次合作很顺利。
Use the fixed standard form 总的来说.
总的来说了，这个方案值得采用。
Do not attach 了 to 总的来说.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 总的来说.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 总的来说. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
总的来说 for an Overall Assessment Questions
Why is it 总的来说 rather than 总地来说?
The expression is a stable conventional phrase, and the normative source explicitly lists 总的来说 as the standard form.
Why is this page labeled HSK 7?
GF0025 places it in one combined Levels 7–9 inventory. HSK 7 is this site's internal sequence, not a separate official sublevel assignment.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: Appendix A, A.7.2 惯用语, 【七—九079】总的来说 / 总而言之, PDF p. 251
Places 总的来说 in the official combined Levels 7–9 inventory and illustrates overall assessment.
Official source一些令人纠结的“de”的用法
北京师范大学出版科学研究院 · Beijing Normal University · 2021
Locator: §6 固定搭配, lines discussing 总的来说
Identifies 总的来说 as a fixed phrase, normally sentence-initial for introducing a conclusion, and rejects 总地来说 in standard usage.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Compare
归根到底归根到底 (guīgēn dàodǐ)
总的来说 gives an overall assessment, while 归根到底 identifies the fundamental issue.
Easy to confuse
一般来说一般来说: Generally Speaking
一般来说 states a general tendency, whereas 总的来说 assesses the whole after considering details.
Easy to confuse
总而言之总而言之: In Short
Compare the fixed overall-assessment phrase with a compact marker that summarizes prior discourse.
Compare
由此可见由此可见 (yóucǐ kějiàn)
总的来说 evaluates the whole, whereas 由此可见 derives a conclusion from specific evidence.
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Easy to confuse
一般来说 states a general tendency, whereas 总的来说 assesses the whole after considering details.