This is the 382nd most frequent Chinese word.
总
"总" means "total," "overall," "general," or "always" depending on context.
总 is used here as part of the phrase 总而言之, which means 'in summary' or 'in conclusion', to summarize the key point.
总而言之，我们需要更有效的沟通。
In summary, we need more effective communication.
总 is used here as part of 总是, which means 'always', to indicate a habitual or frequent action.
他总是习惯每天写日记。
He always has the habit of writing a diary every day.
总 is used here to mean 'overall' or 'general', summarizing the entire project's condition and status.