总统

• Pinyin: zǒng tǒng
• Hanzi breakdown: 总 = 心 (heart) + 囱 (phonetic), overall; 统 = 糸 (silk/thread) + 充 (fill, phonetic), to unify or govern

Meaning

President (of a country). The head of state in a republic, such as the United States or France.

Used specifically for presidents of republics. In China, the head of state is called 国家主席, not 总统. 总统 is used when referring to foreign presidents or historical Chinese republic-era leaders. 总统大选 (presidential election) and 总统府 (presidential palace) are common collocations.

Examples

1. 美国总统每四年由选举产生，任期最多两届。 The US President is elected every four years and may serve a maximum of two terms.
2. 两位总统握手合影，标志着两国关系进入新阶段。 The two presidents shook hands and posed for a photo, marking a new stage in bilateral relations.
3. 总统在演讲中表示将优先解决国内的经济问题。 In his speech, the President said resolving domestic economic issues would be his top priority.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, news, history

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 法国总统将于下周访问中国。(The French President will visit China next week.)
• 总统大选的结果将于明天公布。(The result of the presidential election will be announced tomorrow.)

Don't Say

• 用'总统'称呼中国国家主席 (Don't use 总统 to refer to China's head of state — the correct title is 国家主席)

Origin & History

Compound of 总 (overall) and 统 (to govern, to unify). Literally 'the one who unifies and governs everything'. Adopted in the late nineteenth century as a translation of the Western concept of 'president'.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal