universal succession指“（大陆法）概括继承；根据继承”，指由一人或多人共同继承死者全部的权利和义务。在罗马法中，它可以因收养或者由丈夫取得已是自权人的妇女的支配权而发生，但最为常见的则是基于死亡而发生的概括继承，即由继承人对死者权利义务综合继受。

在现代，概括继承人就是遗嘱执行人或遗产管理人，而与继承人不同，因为它只是遗产代理人，被指定执行立遗嘱人的意愿或者适用非遗嘱继承的相关规定，但并不承担死者的全部法律人格，尤其对死者的债务不承担责任。而单一继承（受）人（singular successor）则只是继受某一特定的财产，并通常以赠与或购买的方式为之。

为了更好的理解该词，以下是其英文释义：succession under Roman or civil law to the totality of a man's estate including both his rights and liabilities according to the principle that the heir is the same person as the deceased.

双语例句：

（1） Legal service – to waive the requirement on the number of full-time lawyers employed by Mainland law firms that operate in association with Hong Kong law firms; to waive the residency requirement for representatives stationed in representative offices of Hong Kong law firms in the Mainland; to allow Hong Kong residents qualified for practice in the Mainland to act as agents in

 matrimonial and succession (especially universal succession) cases relating to Hong Kong; to allow Hong Kong barristers to act as agents in civil litigation cases in the Mainland in the capacity of citizens; and to allow Hong Kong residents who have acquired Mainland lawyer qualifications or legal professional qualifications to undergo internship in a branch office of a Mainland law firm set up in Hong Kong.

法律服务 — 取消对与香港律师事务所进行联营的内地律师事务所的专职律师人数要求；取消香港律师事务所驻内地代表机构的代表在内地的居留时间要求；允许有内地执业律师资格的香港居民从事涉港婚姻、继承（尤其概括继承）案件的代理活动；允许香港大律师以公民身份担任内地民事诉讼的代理人；以及允许取得内地律师资格或法律职业资格的香港居民，在内地律师事务所设在香港的分所，按照内地规定进行实习。

（2）In a number of jurisdictions, such as the United States, Japan and Switzerland, two banks can merge with one another by way of “universal succession”.

在很多司法管辖区，例如美国、日本和瑞士，两间银行可藉“概括继承”予以合并。