(zuǒ yòu) - approximately, around, left and right in Mandarin
zuǒyòuTraditional: 左右
Translation
approximately, around, left and right
Word origin
A compound of the opposites 左 (zuǒ, left) and 右 (yòu, right); pairing the two directions yields both the literal sense and, after a number, the meaning of approximately.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 左 (zuǒ, left) + 右 (yòu, right)
Stroke order
左
右
Examples
。
He is around thirty years old.
。
The meeting lasted about an hour.
。
Please look left and right before crossing the road.
百。
This piece of clothing costs around one hundred yuan.
，。
He was caught in a dilemma and did not know what to do.
左右 (zuǒ yòu) literally means left and right, but placed after a quantity it means approximately or around. It also appears in set phrases such as 左右为难, to be in a dilemma.
Where this fits
Used in
Add to review queue
Track this word in your spaced-repetition queue and be tested on it at the right interval.
Go to my review queueMandarin · Free printables
左右: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "左右" (approximately, around, left and right): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
Free for members
The printable worksheets, infographics and PDFs are free with an account. Start a free week and download as many as you like.
Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 37.