Meaning of 左右
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- left and right
- nearby
- approximately
- attendant
- to control
- to influence
How to use 左右
The most common everyday use is after a number to mean "about" or "or so," and it can also mean "to control or influence" someone. Example: 我七点左右到。(Wǒ qī diǎn zuǒyòu dào.) I will arrive around seven.
左右 (zuǒyòu) is simply left 左 plus right 右. Picture something sitting between your left and right hands: it is "around" a point, so the word also means "approximately."
Common mistake: Learners often put 左右 before the number like English "about," saying 左右十个人. It must come after the number: 十个人左右 (shí gè rén zuǒyòu). Also do not mix up 左 and 右: 左 has 工 at the bottom and 右 has 口.
左右 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
左 zuǒ · left · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
右 yòu · right · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Related words
Words that share a character with 左右.
| 左边 | zuǒbian | left; the left side |
| 右边 | yòubian | right side; right, to the right |
| 座右铭 | zuòyòumíng | motto; maxim |
| 左顾右盼 | zuǒgù-yòupàn | glancing to left and right (idiom); to look all around |
| 右手 | yòushǒu | right hand; right-hand side |
| 左手 | zuǒshǒu | left hand; left-hand side |
| 左转 | zuǒzhuǎn | to turn left |
| 右转 | yòuzhuǎn | to turn right |
| 左侧 | zuǒcè | left side |
| 右侧 | yòucè | right side |
| 右翼 | yòuyì | the right flank; (politically) right-wing |
| 右舷 | yòuxián | starboard (of a ship) |
Questions about 左右
What does 左右 mean?
左右 (zuǒyòu) means "left and right; nearby" and is used as a noun and verb.
How do you write 左右?
左右 is made of 2 characters: 左 (5 strokes), 右 (5 strokes). That is 10 strokes in total.
Is 左右 an HSK word?
Yes. 左右 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 左右 and 大概 for "about"?
左右 goes after a number, as in 三十岁左右. 大概 (dàgài) goes before the number or verb, as in 大概三十岁. Both mean roughly the same thing.
How is 左右 used to mean "to influence"?
As a verb it means to control or sway something, often in more formal writing. For example, 他的话左右了大家的决定。(Tā de huà zuǒyòule dàjiā de juédìng.) His words influenced everyone's decision.