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东张西望

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: dōng zhāng xī wàng
  • English Translation: Gazing around in all directions (looking here and there)
  • Idiom Composition: 「东」（East (used metaphorically here to mean 'one direction' or 'everywhere')）＋「张」（To look or peer (part of the term 张望 - zhāng wàng)）＋「西」（West (used metaphorically to mean 'the other direction' or 'everywhere')）＋「望」（To gaze, look into the distance, or observe）
  • Meaning: To look around in all directions by shifting one's gaze from side to side. It describes the action of observing surroundings, whether out of curiosity, searching for something, or due to a lack of concentration.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「东张西望」 contains the following nuances:

  • Spatial Coverage: The characters for 'East' (东 - dōng) and 'West' (西 - xī) are not meant to be literal directions. Instead, they function as a pair to represent 'everywhere' or 'all directions' in a broad sense.
  • Search and Observation: The idiom captures the physical act of searching for a person or object, or the mental state of observing a new environment for the first time.
  • Implication of Distraction: It is frequently used to describe 'looking away' from a primary focus (like a teacher or a task) toward irrelevant things, implying a lack of discipline or concentration.

3. Usage

「东张西望」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Searching or Waiting: Used to describe the neutral action of looking for someone or checking if a person has arrived at a meeting point.
    • Example:「他在火车站出口东张西望，焦急地寻找接他的朋友。」
      （He is looking all around at the station exit, anxiously searching for the friend who is supposed to pick him up.）
  • Distraction or Lack of Focus: Used critically to point out when someone is not paying attention to their work or studies.
    • Example:「上课时要专心听讲，不要东张西望。」
      （Focus on the lecture in class; do not look around or get distracted.）
  • Suspicious Behavior: Used to describe someone like a thief or a spy who is nervously checking their surroundings to avoid being seen.
    • Example:「那个陌生人在小区门口东张西望，形迹十分可疑。」
      （That stranger at the apartment entrance is peering around suspiciously, acting very strangely.）

Additional Examples:

  1. 初到大城市，他好奇地东张西望，对一切都感到新鲜。
    （When he first arrived in the big city, he looked around with curiosity, finding everything fresh and new.）
  2. 过马路时要小心，不要东张西望。
    （Be careful when crossing the road; do not look around and lose focus.）
  3. 这只小鹿警惕地东张西望，随时准备逃跑。
    （The fawn looked around alertly, ready to run away at any moment.）
  4. 他在人群中东张西望，希望能看到熟悉的面孔。
    （He looked here and there in the crowd, hoping to spot a familiar face.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Structural Feature: The 'East... West...' (东...西...) structure is a common pattern in Chinese idioms used to emphasize spatial breadth or repeated actions, similar to 东奔西走 (dōng bēn xī zǒu), which means 'running here and there.'
  • Discipline and Education: For children and students, the phrase 'Don't look around' (不要东张西望 - bù yào dōng zhāng xī wàng) is a standard command used by parents and teachers to demand focus.
  • Nuance Shifts: The meaning of this idiom is highly dependent on the context. It can describe positive curiosity, neutral searching, or negative distraction and suspicious behavior.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

东张西望 (dōng zhāng xī wàng) is a versatile idiom used to describe the act of looking around. Depending on the context, it can range from a neutral description of searching for someone to a critical observation of a student being distracted in class, or even a description of a suspicious person scouting a location. In educational settings, it is the standard phrase used to scold someone for not focusing.

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