左右
HSK 4 (exam 2025)HSK 3 (2021)Old HSK 4
左右 (zuǒyòu) · about
左右 (zuǒyòu) means “about; around; left and right”. It is written with 2 characters: 左 (left (direction)) + 右 (right (direction)). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 左右 is built
The characters
左 zuǒ · left (direction)
What 左 is made of
- 工gōng — labor
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丄shàng — above
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
Origin hint: A left hand; compare 又 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
右 yòu · right (direction)
What 右 is made of
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 冂 — frame
Example sentences
我们十点左右出发。Wǒmen shí diǎn zuǒyòu chūfā.We'll leave at around ten.
过马路要看左右。Guò mǎlù yào kàn zuǒyòu.Look left and right when crossing the road.
Questions about 左右
What does 左右 mean?
左右 (zuǒyòu) means “about; around; left and right”.
How do you pronounce 左右?
左右 is pronounced zuǒyòu.
Which HSK level is 左右?
左右 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 3 (2021) and Old HSK 4.
Related words
Learn 左右 with its group
It is part of HSK 3 (2021) · Group 88: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.