左右 (zuǒ yòu) — (noun) left and right; both sides; (postpositio… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

As a noun, 左右 means 'left and right (sides)'; after a number or time it means 'approximately, about' (same pattern as 上下, 内外). As a verb it means 'to control / influence' (e.g. 左右某人的想法).

noun

left and rightboth sides(postposition) approximatelyabout (used after numbers or times)

verb

to controlto dominateto influence

Examples

左右。
Qǐng nǐ kàn yí xià zuǒ yòu liǎng biān.
Please look at both the left and right sides.
左右。
Wǒ měi tiān dà gài jiǔ diǎn zuǒ yòu dào jiā.
I get home at around nine o'clock every day.
左右。
Méi yǒu rén néng zuǒ yòu tā de xiǎng fǎ.
No one can influence his thoughts.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

左 and 右 name opposite sides, so together they can mean both sides, nearby, or an approximate range.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

𠂇工左

Meaning part形符xíngfú

工工gōngwork

Sound part声符shēngfú

𠂇

𠂇𠂇左zuǒ

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

左 grew from the picture 𠂇, a left hand, with 工 (work) added later.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

又

又yòu右yòu

Same sound today

右 is made from 又, which supplied the sound, with 口 added as a distinguishing mark.

Appears in

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