In short / to put it briefly (总而言之 / 简而言之)

Structure … ，总而言之 / 简而言之 + recap

总而言之 (zǒng ér yán zhī, “in short, all things said”) and 简而言之 (jiǎn ér yán zhī, “to put it briefly”) are set four-character phrases that open the closing clause of an essay or exposition and condense everything before. They are the formal, written counterpart of 总之 (HSK 4): the meaning is the same, but the tone is more solemn and belongs to journalism, reports and academic prose. 总而言之 gathers the whole of what was said; 简而言之 also promises to abbreviate and get to the point.

Examples

总zǒng而ér言yán之zhī，这zhè项xiàng改gǎi革gé利lì大dà于yú弊bì。
All in all, this reform does more good than harm.
简jiǎn而ér言yán之zhī，我wǒ们men的de目mù标biāo只zhǐ有yǒu一yī个gè。
In a word, our goal is just one.
总zǒng而ér言yán之zhī，成chéng败bài取qǔ决jué于yú执zhí行xíng力lì。
In short, success or failure hinges on execution.
简jiǎn而ér言yán之zhī，问wèn题tí在zài于yú缺quē乏fá资zī金jīn。
To put it briefly, the problem is the lack of funds.

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