diff --git a/docs/users/features/status-line.md b/docs/users/features/status-line.md
index c0b3eb6be5..b427129eb4 100644
--- a/docs/users/features/status-line.md
+++ b/docs/users/features/status-line.md
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ Add a `statusLine` object under the `ui` key in `~/.qwen/settings.json`:
 | `model`                |         | Current model name without reasoning level                         |
 | `git-branch`           | Yes     | Current Git branch name (hidden when not in a git repo)            |
 | `context-remaining`    | Yes     | Percentage of context window remaining (e.g. `Context 65.7% left`) |
-| `total-input-tokens`   |         | Total input tokens used in session (e.g. `30.0k in`)               |
-| `total-output-tokens`  |         | Total output tokens used in session (e.g. `5.0k out`)              |
+| `total-input-tokens`   |         | Cumulative input tokens used in session (e.g. `30.0k total in`)    |
+| `total-output-tokens`  |         | Cumulative output tokens used in session (e.g. `5.0k total out`)   |
 | `current-dir`          | Yes     | Current working directory                                          |
 | `project-name`         |         | Project name (basename of working directory)                       |
 | `pull-request-number`  |         | Open PR number for the current branch (requires `gh` CLI)          |
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ Add a `statusLine` object under the `ui` key in `~/.qwen/settings.json`:
 
 Items marked **Default** are pre-selected when you first open the `/statusline` dialog.
 
+`total-input-tokens` and `total-output-tokens` are session totals. They add up token usage across turns, so input tokens can grow quickly because each new model request includes the current conversation context again. Use `used-tokens` when you want the current prompt size instead of cumulative session spend.
+
 ### Example output
 
 With the default items, the status line looks like:
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/statusLinePresets.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/ui/statusLinePresets.test.ts
index 6a1a8b3226..24a88f3d77 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/statusLinePresets.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/statusLinePresets.test.ts
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ describe('statusLinePresets', () => {
         data,
       ),
     ).toEqual([
-      'qwen3-code-plus high | qwen3-code-plus | feature/pr-4087-statusline | Context 75% left | 1.2k in | 340 out | /repo/project | project | #4087 | +12 -3 | Context 25% used | Ready | v1.2.3 | 1.0k window | 250 used | session-123',
+      'qwen3-code-plus high | qwen3-code-plus | feature/pr-4087-statusline | Context 75% left | 1.2k total in | 340 total out | /repo/project | project | #4087 | +12 -3 | Context 25% used | Ready | v1.2.3 | 1.0k window | 250 used | session-123',
     ]);
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/statusLinePresets.ts b/packages/cli/src/ui/statusLinePresets.ts
index aee28b3d0e..b2d8013d8e 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/statusLinePresets.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/statusLinePresets.ts
@@ -406,10 +406,10 @@ export function buildStatusLinePresetParts(
         }
         break;
       case 'total-input-tokens':
-        parts.push(`${formatTokenCount(data.totalInputTokens)} in`);
+        parts.push(`${formatTokenCount(data.totalInputTokens)} total in`);
         break;
       case 'total-output-tokens':
-        parts.push(`${formatTokenCount(data.totalOutputTokens)} out`);
+        parts.push(`${formatTokenCount(data.totalOutputTokens)} total out`);
         break;
       case 'session-id':
         if (data.sessionId) {