全体

The word "zentai" refers to a thing viewed as a single, unified entity or a complete scope. It emphasizes the structure, boundary, or the "big picture" of a subject.

It is often contrasted with "zenbu" (全部). While "zenbu" focuses on the sum of individual parts (e.g., "I ate all the cookies"), "zentai" focuses on the unity or the holistic state of the object (e.g., "The overall balance of the design"). If you are thinking about a collection of items, use "zenbu"; if you are thinking about a single object or a system as a whole, use "zentai".

In practical usage, "zentai" is frequently used in formal, academic, or business contexts to describe trends, structures, or general overviews. It can also be used as an adverbial phrase "zentai-teki ni" (全体的に), meaning "overall" or "generally speaking," to describe a general impression while acknowledging that there may be minor exceptions.