左右

• Pinyin: zuǒ yòu
• Hanzi breakdown: 左 = left hand radical + 工 (work), meaning left; 右 = right hand radical + 口 (mouth), meaning right

Meaning

Approximately; left and right. Indicates a rough estimate when placed after a number, or literally means both sides.

As a noun, 左右 literally means left and right, or both sides. When placed after a quantity, it means approximately or more or less. As a verb, it can mean to influence or control. Extremely common in everyday speech for giving estimates of time, money, or quantity.

Examples

1. 从这里到学校大概需要二十分钟左右。 It takes about twenty minutes to get from here to the school.
2. 过马路的时候要先左右看看。 When crossing the road, you should look left and right first.
3. 这件衣服三百块左右，不算太贵。 This piece of clothing is about three hundred yuan, which isn't too expensive.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, estimates, directions

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 我们三点左右到吧。(Let's arrive around three o'clock.)
• 他的年龄在四十岁左右。(His age is around forty.)

Don't Say

• 我左右不知道去哪里。(Don't use 左右 to mean anyway or regardless — for that meaning, use 反正 or 不管怎样)

Origin & History

Compound of 左 (left) and 右 (right). The approximate meaning developed naturally from the idea of being to the left or right of an exact number.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal