左右

zuǒyòu

adverb HSK 3 #2,179

Meanings

Literally 'left and right' - when something could go either way, it's 'approximately.' Also implies influence, as if pushing someone left or right.

HSK 1

他三十岁左右。

Tā sānshí suì zuǒyòu.

He's about thirty years old.

HSK 3

不要被别人左右。

Búyào bèi biérén zuǒyòu.

Don't let others influence you.

HSK 4

请看左右两边。

Qǐng kàn zuǒyòu liǎngbiān.

Please look at both the left and right sides.

usage

When meaning 'approximately,' 左右 is placed after a number or time expression: 三个小时左右 (about 3 hours).

grammar

The 'influence' meaning is more formal/literary. In everyday speech, 左右 most commonly means 'approximately.'

mistakes

Don't confuse 左右 (approximately, after a number) with 大概 (approximately, before a number). 三十岁左右 = 大概三十岁.

左 zuǒ

右 yòu