左提右挈 — “To assist and support each other”
左提右挈 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to assist and support each other”. Often describing mutual help among people or parents providing comprehensive care and guidance to their children. Literally, “Lift on the left, lead on the right”.
左提右挈 Pronunciation and Pinyin
左提右挈 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 左提右挈
Origin and Story of 左提右挈
In the late Qin Dynasty, peasant uprisings erupted across various regions. Wu Chen led his army into the Zhao territory and proclaimed himself King of Zhao. He then dispatched his general, Han Guang, to lead troops into the Yan territory, where Han Guang subsequently declared himself King of Yan.
Enraged, Wu Chen personally led his generals, Zhang Er and Chen Yu, to attack the Yan region. Wu Chen was captured. Zhang Er and Chen Yu attempted to rescue him but were unsuccessful.
A guard then reported to Han Guang that Zhang Er and his group were "lifting on the left and supporting on the right" (左提右挈), implying they were conspiring to make someone king. Feeling pressured, Han Guang had no choice but to release Wu Chen.
Idioms Related to 左提右挈
More idioms starting with 左
- zuǒ左shū书yòu右xī息act perversely
- zuǒ左chōng冲yòu右tū突charge left and right
- zuǒ左quàn券zhī之cāo操have full assurance of success
- zuǒ左shǐ史yòu右jīng经widely read and knowledgeable
- zuǒ左yòu右liǎng两nán难caught between a rock and a hard place
- zuǒ左yòu右wéi为nán难caught between two difficult choices
- zuǒ左yòu右qīn亲jìn近trusted confidant or close associate
- zuǒ左yòu右tú图shǐ史surrounded by books and history
- zuǒ左yòu右kāi开gōng弓shoot with both hands
- zuǒ左yòu右shǒu手a capable assistant
- zuǒ左yòu右yáo摇bǎi摆sway back and forth
- zuǒ左yòu右zhī枝wú梧struggle to cope with multiple demands
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Open the tool →Questions about 左提右挈
What does 左提右挈 mean?
左提右挈 (zuǒ tí yòu qiè) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to assist and support each other”.
How do you pronounce 左提右挈?
左提右挈 is pronounced zuǒ tí yòu qiè in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 左提右挈 literally mean?
Literally, 左提右挈 means “Lift on the left, lead on the right”. It is used to mean “to assist and support each other”.
Where does 左提右挈 come from?
左提右挈 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 左提右挈?
挈：带领。比喻共相扶持。也形容父母对子女的照顾。