东倒西歪

東倒西歪

dōngdǎo-xīwāi

idiom #36,961

Meanings

1 leaning every which way (idiom)
2 tottering; askew; (of buildings) leaning at crazy angles

Characters

to fall; topple

Examples

HSK 5

他喝醉了，走路东倒西歪。

Tā hē zuì le, zǒulù dōngdǎo-xīwāi.

He was drunk and swayed from side to side as he walked.

HSK 5

地震后，一排排房子东倒西歪。

Dìzhèn hòu, yī pái pái fángzi dōngdǎo-xīwāi.

After the earthquake, row upon row of houses leaned at crazy angles.

Tips

memory

东 (east) and 西 (west) are often paired in Chinese idioms to mean 'every which way' - like 东张西望 ('looking east and west' = glancing around). Here: '倒 east, 歪 west' = leaning in every direction.

Stroke Order

东 dōng

倒 dǎo

西 xī

歪 wāi