Chinese–EnglishWith examples

左右

zuǒ yòu · zuo you

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 3Old HSK 6

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. left and right
  2. nearby
  3. approximately
  4. attendant
  5. to control
  6. to influence
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In a conversation

0:18 cartoon

Around seven o'clock

  1. Liangliang

    你(nǐ)几点(jǐdiǎn)到(dào)夜市(yèshì)？

    What time will you get to the night market?

  2. Dengdeng

    七点(qīdiǎn)左右(zuǒyòu)。你(nǐ)呢(ne)？

    Around seven. And you?

  3. Liangliang

    我(wǒ)也是(yěshì)七点(qīdiǎn)左右(zuǒyòu)。

    Me too, around seven.

  4. Dengdeng

    现在(xiànzài)已经(yǐjīng)七点半(qīdiǎnbàn)了(le)，你(nǐ)在(zài)哪儿(nǎr)？

    It is already half past seven. Where are you?

  5. Liangliang

    我(wǒ)六点半(liùdiǎnbàn)就(jiù)到(dào)了(le)，在(zài)吃(chī)烤串(kǎochuàn)。

    I got here at half past six and I am eating skewers.

  6. Dengdeng

    六点半(liùdiǎnbàn)也(yě)算(suàn)七点(qīdiǎn)左右(zuǒyòu)？

    Half past six counts as around seven?

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

这(zhè)封(fēng)信(xìn)约(yuē)一(yí)个(gè)星(xīng)期(qī)左(zuǒ)右(yòu)到(dào)达(dá)。

The letter will arrive in a week or so.

Tatoeba: Chinese by tarim222 · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

我(wǒ)七(qī)点(diǎn)左(zuǒ)右(yòu)来(lái)就(jiù)可(kě)以(yǐ)了(le)吧(ba)？

Would it suffice if I came around 7?

Tatoeba: Chinese by fercheung · English by stb · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

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How to write

Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
左
zuǒ

left; the Left (politics)

右
yòu

(bound form) right; right-hand side; (bound form) (politics) right of center

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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