1.
general remarks; overview; general discussion
A broad, high-level discussion or summary of a topic before going into specific details. Used in academic writing, textbooks, and formal presentations to refer to the introductory or overview section that covers principles and framework before detailed case-by-case analysis.
Compound of 総 ('general; overall') and 論 ('discussion; argument'). Contrasts with 各論 ('detailed discussion of individual topics'). The pair 総論/各論 is a fundamental organizing concept in Japanese academic and professional writing — textbooks, legal codes, and reports often begin with a 総論 section before proceeding to 各論.
Usage
- The set phrase 総論賛成、各論反対 ('agree in general, oppose in specifics') describes a very common pattern in Japanese consensus-building where everyone supports a policy in principle but objects to specific implementation measures.
- In medical and legal textbooks, 総論 is a formal structural label for the introductory portion.
Common collocations
- 総論と各論: general overview and specific topics
- 総論賛成: agreement in principle
- 総論的な議論: general-level discussion
- 総論部分: overview section
Similar words
- 各論: detailed discussion of specific topics — the counterpart to 総論, covering individual cases
- 概論: introductory survey — a general overview of a field, often used in course titles (e.g., 経済学概論 'Introduction to Economics')
- 序論: introduction — the opening section of a paper or book, distinct from 総論 in that it sets up the work rather than surveying principles