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东张西望 (dōng zhāng xī wàng) — (idiom) to look around in all directions, to glance left and right; (idiom) to be distracted or fidgety, unable to focus

Definition

Means 'looking around distractedly, unable to focus.' Unlike 四面八方 (which describes directions or 'everywhere' as a noun), 东张西望 is about a person's restless gaze — close to 左顾右盼, but 东张西望 focuses on distraction, while 左顾右盼 often adds hesitation.

idiom
to look around in all directionsto glance left and rightto be distracted or fidgetyunable to focus

Examples

  • 东张西望，。
    Tā zhàn zài lù kǒu dōng zhāng xī wàng, hǎo xiàng zài zhǎo shén me rén.
    He stood at the intersection looking around, as if searching for someone.
  • 东张西望，。
    Kāi huì shí bié dōng zhāng xī wàng, yào rèn zhēn tīng lǐng dǎo jiǎng huà.
    Don't look around during the meeting; listen carefully to the leader's speech.
  • 东张西望，。
    Zhè hái zi shàng kè zǒng shì dōng zhāng xī wàng, chéng jì yì zhí bú tài hǎo.
    This child is always looking around in class, and his grades have never been very good.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

东张look east
东dōngeast张zhānglook
偏正Modifier + head
西望look west
西xīwest望wànglook
偏正Modifier + head

东张 shows looking east and 西望 shows looking west, together meaning glancing around.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 東; 东 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 東 originally drew a full bag tied at both ends. The simplified 东 is a later shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 东 →

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 張; 张 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōngbow
Sound part声符shēngfú
長
長cháng張zhāng
Same sound today

The traditional form 張 combines 弓, a bow, with 長, which points to the sound; the simplified 张 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 张 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 西 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 臣臣chéneye
  • 𡈼𡈼𡈼person standing on the ground

望 originally showed 臣 (eye) beside 𡈼 (person standing on the ground): a person standing up and looking off into the distance. Later 月 was added, and the 臣 part became 亡.

Open 望 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Idioms & Set PhrasesSenses

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