左思右想

zuǒsī-yòuxiǎng

idiom

Meanings

HSK 4

左思右想也想不出答案。

Zuǒsī-yòuxiǎng yě xiǎng bu chū dá'àn.

Think as I might, I couldn't come up with an answer.

HSK 5

他左思右想，最后还是决定辞职。

Tā zuǒsī-yòuxiǎng, zuìhòu háishì juédìng cízhí.

He thought it over from every angle and finally decided to quit.

history

From Feng Menglong's Ming historical novel 《东周列国志》 chapter 88: 左思右想，欲求自脱之计 - 'he thought it over from every angle, looking for a way out'.

memory

Literal: 'left think, right think'. Picture someone shaking their head slowly side to side while pondering.

左 zuǒ

思 sī

右 yòu

想 xiǎng