左邻右舍

左鄰右舍
zuǒlínyòushè
idiom #54,361

Meanings

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

Examples

Hé zuǒlínyòushè gǎo hǎo 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.
Tīng dào hūjiùshēng, zuǒlínyòushè dōu gǎn lái bāngmáng.
Hearing the cries for help, neighbors from all around rushed over to assist.

Tips

history
From Wu Cheng'en's Ming-dynasty 《西》: 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