Levels.fyi lists that number as base cash salary, yes. Total comp for a Staff SWE at Google is easily breaking $500k. It is also not a secret to anyone that cash salary at most tech companies tops out pretty low, because as you grow in levels, cash becomes a smaller and smaller portion of your total comp.
$224k/yr is below what a midlevel/L4 SWE would make at Google in total comp.
$224k/yr is below what a midlevel/L4 SWE would make at Google in total comp.