Definition
东张西望 (dōng zhāng xī wàng) is an idiom meaning 'to look around in all directions' — it often implies being distracted, curious, or unfocused. It differs from 左顾右盼 (zuǒ gù yòu pàn), which suggests hesitancy or uncertainty while glancing around, and from 四面八方 (sì miàn bā fāng), which describes the spatial concept of 'all around' rather than the action of looking.
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 lùkǒu dōng zhāng xī wàng, hǎoxiàng zài zhǎo shénme rén.He stood at the intersection looking around, as if searching for someone.
- 东张西望，。Kāihuì shí bié dōng zhāng xī wàng, yào rènzhēn tīng lǐngdǎo jiǎnghuà.Don't look around during the meeting; listen carefully to the leader's speech.
- 东张西望，。Zhè háizi shàngkè zǒng shì dōng zhāng xī wàng, chéngjì yìzhí bú tài hǎo.This child is always looking around in class, and his grades have never been very good.
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