(ぜんたい)

ぜんたい
noun
whole, entirety
1. whole, entirety, overall
The complete thing considered as a unit.
You should judge by looking at the whole picture.
The whole company will work on it together.
全体(ぜんたい)(ぞう)把握(はあく)する
To grasp the overall picture.
It's a problem for society as a whole.
To explain the entire plan.
全体(ぜんたい)会議(かいぎ)(ひら)
To hold a general meeting.
2. generally, on the whole
Used adverbially to mean 'in general' or 'overall'.
Overall, it was a good result.
全体(ぜんたい)として満足(まんぞく)
On the whole, I'm satisfied.
Generally speaking, it's not bad.
一体(いったい)全体(ぜんたい)どうなっているんだ。
Just what on earth is going on?
The level is improving overall.

全体(ぜんたい) refers to the entirety of something viewed as a single unit. It can function as a noun or as an adverbial modifier.

Common patterns

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 全部(ぜんぶ): all, everything (focuses on totality of individual items)
  • 全体(ぜんたい): the whole (focuses on the unified entity)

Common expressions

一体(いったい)全体(ぜんたい) — emphatic in questions: "just what/who/why on earth..."