左右逢源

zuǒyòu-féngyuán
idiom #48,565

Meanings

  1. 1 to find sources of water on both left and right
  2. 2 to handle things smoothly from all sides; to benefit from every direction

Examples

HSK 7-9
Tā rényuán hǎo, zuòshì zuǒyòuféngyuán.
He has good relationships, and everything he does goes smoothly from all sides.
HSK 7-9
Zài gōngsī lǐ, tā zuǒyòuféngyuán, shéi dōu bù dézuì.
At the company, he plays both sides skillfully, never offending anyone.

Tips

history
From 《孟子·离娄下》: 资之深,则取之左右逢其原 - 'When learning runs deep, drawing on it left or right finds the source.' Mencius originally meant deep mastery; modern usage drifted toward 'working all angles.'
usage
Two flavors: (1) genuinely competent - handles everything well from all directions; (2) slick or two-faced - always positioning to benefit. Context (and tone) decides whether it's praise or criticism.

Stroke Order

zuǒ
yòu
féng
yuán