左右

Chinese

Pronunciation

Noun

左右

1. left and right
2. left and right sides; both sides

   • 參差荇菜，左右流之。…窈窕淑女，琴瑟友之。參差荇菜、左右芼之。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     参差荇菜，左右流之。…窈窕淑女，琴瑟友之。参差荇菜、左右芼之。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Cēncī xìngcài, zuǒyòu liú zhī.... Yǎotiǎoshūnǚ, qínsè yǒu zhī. Cēncī xìngcài, zuǒ yòu mào zhī.

     Here long, there short, is the duckweed, To the left, to the right, borne about by the current.
     The modest, retiring, virtuous, young lady: With lutes, small and large, let us give her friendly welcome.
     Here long, there short, is the duckweed; On the left, on the right, we cook and present it.

3. entourage; retinue; attendants

Adverb

左右

1. about; or so; or thereabouts; around

   他身高可能在三米左右。 [MSC, trad. and simp.]

   Tā shēngāo kěnéng zài sān mǐ zuǒyòu.

   He was about three meters tall.

   30分鐘左右 [Cantonese, trad.]
   30分钟左右 [Cantonese, simp.]

   saam¹ sap⁶ fan¹ zung¹ zo² jau^6-2

   about 30 minutes

   我估計溫度都在十度左右吧。 [MSC, trad.]
   我估计温度都在十度左右吧。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ gūjì wēndù dōu zài shí dù zuǒyòu ba.

   I guess the temperature is around ten degrees now.

Synonyms

Verb

左右

1. to control; to manipulate; to influence

Synonyms

Derived terms

Descendants

Japanese

Etymology 1

From 左(さ) (sa, “left”) + 右(ゆう) (yū, “right”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) さ​ゆう (Atamadaka – )
• IPA^(key):

Noun

左(さ)右(ゆう) • (sayū) 

1. left and right

   横(おう)断(だん)歩(ほ)道(どう)を渡(わた)る前(まえ)には、左(さ)右(ゆう)を確(かく)認(にん)する。

   Ōdanhodō o wataru mae ni wa, sayū o kakunin suru.

   Check left and right before you cross the road.

2. both sides
3. control
4. influence

Synonyms

• (right and left): 右(みぎ)左(ひだり) (migihidari)
• (control): 支(し)配(はい) (shihai)
• (influence): 影(えい)響(きょう) (eikyō)

Derived terms

• 上下左右
• 前後左右
• 左右一対
• 左右軸
• 左右相称
• 左右対称

Verb

左(さ)右(ゆう)する • (sayū suru) suru (stem 左(さ)右(ゆう)し (sayū shi), past 左(さ)右(ゆう)した (sayū shita))

1. to sway, to influence
2. to have under one's control

Conjugation

Etymology 2

Noun

左右(そう) • (sō) ^{←さう (sau)?}

1. (obsolete) left and right
2. letter; tidings

   Synonym: 便り (tayori)

   • 1883, 아메노모리 호슈(雨森芳洲) , “晝夜”, in 浦瀬裕, editor, 재간교린수지(再刊交隣須知) (Jaegan'gyorinsuji)‎^{NDL NLK}, 外務省 edition, volume 1:

     初七日 七日コロハサウガアリマセウ

     shonanoka nanoka koro wa sō ga arimashō

     7th: There will probably be tidings on the 7th.

     初七日 초(初)일엣날ᄶᅳᆷ 긔별(寄別)이 잇ᄉᆞ오리 (original Korean)

   • 1883, 아메노모리 호슈(雨森芳洲) , “語辭”, in 浦瀬裕, editor, 재간교린수지(再刊交隣須知) (Jaegan'gyorinsuji)‎^{NDL NLK}, 外務省 edition, volume 3:

     又 マタヨイ左右ガキソウニゴザル

     mata mata yoi sō ga kisō ni gozaru

     Again: It seems like good tidings may come again.

     又 ᄯᅩ 됴흔 긔별(寄別)이 올 듯허오 (original Korean)

Etymology 3

Noun

左右(さう) • (sau) 

1. (obsolete) left and right

Etymology 4

References

Korean

Noun

左右 • (jwau) (hangeul 좌우)

1. Hanja form^? of 좌우 (“left and right”).

Vietnamese

Noun

左右

1. chữ Hán form of tả hữu (“left and right”).