Chinese word

左顾右盼

Pronunciation

Pinyinzuǒ gù yòu pàn

Meaning

  • verblook around

Example

他在门口左顾右盼，等朋友来。tā zài mén kǒu zuǒ gù yòu pàn děng péng yǒu lái

He was looking around at the entrance, waiting for his friend.

Illustration for 左顾右盼 (look around)

More examples

在候车室里，他左顾右盼，生怕错过车次。zài hòu chē shì lǐ tā zuǒ gù yòu pàn shēng pà cuò guò chē cì

In the waiting room, he kept looking from side to side, afraid he would miss his train.

Core concept

A head and gaze keep moving from side to side as a person scans the surroundings, often while waiting or unsure what to do.

Common phrases

  • 不断左顾右盼bú duàn zuǒ gù yòu pàn

    look around again and again

  • 在人群中左顾右盼zài rén qún zhōng zuǒ gù yòu pàn

    look around in the crowd

  • 到处左顾右盼dào chù zuǒ gù yòu pàn

    look around in all directions

Similar words

张望zhāng wàng: Looking around briefly to check the surroundings or see something in the distance.
东张西望dōng zhāng xī wàng: Glancing in many directions because attention is scattered.
环顾四周huán gù sì zhōu: Looking all around the area to take in its overall situation.
四处张望sì chù zhāng wàng: Searching around different places for someone or something.

Definition in Chinese

左右回头顾望周围，表示观望、等待或因犹豫而四处张望的动作或表情。zuǒ yòu huí tóu gù wàng zhōu wéi biǎo shì guān wàng děng dài huò yīn yóu yù ér sì chù zhāng wàng de dòng zuò huò biǎo qíng

Word origin

左顾右盼 (zuǒgùyòupàn, "look left and right") joins the ideas of looking left, looking back, looking right, and looking toward something to portray a person scanning from side to side.

Usage tips

  • In conversational Chinese, this idiom often sounds more literary and expressive than a neutral description of checking the surroundings, so it suits narration or situations where hesitation matters.

Other meanings

  • look around cautiouslyverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word