左邻右舍

左鄰右舍
zuǒlín-yòushè
idiom #54,361

Meanings

  1. 1 neighbors on all sides
  2. 2 next-door neighbors
  3. 3 the people living nearby

Examples

Hé zuǒlínyòushè gǎohǎo guānxì hěn zhòngyào.
Getting along well with your neighbors is very important.
Guònián de shíhou, zuǒlínyòushè hùxiāng bàinián.
At New Year, neighbors pay each other visits to exchange greetings.
Tīngdào hūjiù shēng, zuǒlínyòushè dōu gǎnlái bāngmáng.
Hearing the cries for help, neighbors from all around rushed over to assist.

Tips

history
From Wu Cheng'en's Ming-dynasty 《西游记》: 一家左邻右舍不得安生 — 'clouds came and fog went, stones flew and sand blew, frightening my whole household and all the neighbors so that none could live in peace.'
memory
Literally 'left-neighbors, right-houses' — the four characters mirror a traditional Chinese courtyard layout where homes sit on your left and right sides.

Stroke Order

zuǒ
lín
yòu
shě