TongTong
Sign in

左顾右盼 (zuǒ gù yòu pàn) — (idiom) to glance left and right; to look around in a hesitant or unfocused manner

Definition

A chengyu for glancing hesitantly or distractedly, often suggesting nervousness, suspicion, or lack of focus. Compared to 东张西望, it leans more toward nervous/suspicious scanning than casual idle looking.

idiom
to glance left and rightto look around in a hesitant or unfocused manner

Examples

  • 左顾右盼，。
    Tā zhàn zài mén kǒu zuǒ gù yòu pàn, hǎo xiàng zài děng shén me rén.
    He stood at the door looking left and right, as if waiting for someone.
  • 左顾右盼，。
    Kǎo shì de shí hou bú yào zuǒ gù yòu pàn, yào zhuān xīn zuò tí.
    During exams, don't look around; focus on answering the questions.
  • 左顾右盼。
    Tā zuǒ gù yòu pàn de yàng zi ràng rén jué de hěn kě yí.
    The way she kept glancing around made people find her suspicious.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

左顾glance left
左zuǒleft顾gùglance
偏正Modifier + head
右盼look right
右yòuright盼pànlook
偏正Modifier + head

左 and 右 give the directions, while 顾 and 盼 both mean to look, so the whole suggests glancing left and right.

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.

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.

Open 左 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 顧; 顾 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
雇
雇gù顧gù
Same sound today

The traditional form 顧 combines 雇 as a sound part and 頁 as a meaning part; 顾 is the simplified form of 顧.

Open 顾 →

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
口口kǒu
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.

Open 右 →

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
目目mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
分
分fēn盼pàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

盼 is made of 目 and 分; 分 gives the sound.

Open 盼 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.