In general/Generally: 概【がい】して, 一般【いっぱん】に, 全体【ぜんたい】に, 総【そう】じて, なべて, 一体{いったい}に, etc


When I look at them in the dictionary, they all mean the same thing. How to
know which one to use?

If I want to say: "Generally, I go to school by bus" or "Generally, people
grow taller" or even "Generally, I like cats", which one should I use? Or can
several of them be used for the same sentence?

Examples would be much appreciated.

**Edit** : Okay, some of the sentences I gave lack context. Here would be the
entire sentence:

> "Generally, people grow taller but some suffers from dwarfism"
>
> "Generally, I like cats but this one is horrible"




  * Ignoring the details or minor exceptions, as a tendency: 概して, 総じて, (おし)なべて

> 概して/総じて/おしなべて、日本人は神経質で、アメリカ人は雑だ。  
>  'Generally, Japanese are highly strung and Americans are coarse/sloppy.'

  * Generalizing: 一般に

> 4は2+2と表される。一般に、4以上の偶数は、2つの素数の和で表される。  
>  '4 is expressed 2+2. In general, an even number that is four or greater can
> be expressed as the sum of two primes.'

  * As a whole, adding up: 全体(的)に

> 個個の四半期で見れば赤字もあったが、この一年では全体的に黒字だ。  
>  'There were quarters that we had deficit, but for this year as a whole, we
> gained profit.'

  * The hell, on earth: 一体に

> 君は一体に何が不満だと言うのか。この馬鹿者が。  
>  'What in the hell do you have complaints about? You ass hole.'




  * Ignoring the details or minor exceptions, as a tendency: 概して, 総じて, (おし)なべて

> 概して/総じて/おしなべて、日本人は神経質で、アメリカ人は雑だ。  
>  'Generally, Japanese are highly strung and Americans are coarse/sloppy.'

  * Generalizing: 一般に

> 4は2+2と表される。一般に、4以上の偶数は、2つの素数の和で表される。  
>  '4 is expressed 2+2. In general, an even number that is four or greater can
> be expressed as the sum of two primes.'

  * As a whole, adding up: 全体(的)に

> 個個の四半期で見れば赤字もあったが、この一年では全体的に黒字だ。  
>  'There were quarters that we had deficit, but for this year as a whole, we
> gained profit.'

  * The hell, on earth: 一体に

> 君は一体に何が不満だと言うのか。この馬鹿者が。  
>  'What in the hell do you have complaints about? You ass hole.'

