东张西望 — “To look around furtively or idly”
东张西望 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to look around furtively or idly”. To gaze about in all directions. Literally, “look east, gaze west”.
Frequency
东张西望 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 东dōng
- 张zhāng
- 西xī
- 望wàng
东张西望 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 东张西望
那个孩子在商场里东张西望，好像在找他的妈妈。
The child was looking around in the shopping mall, as if searching for his mother.
Origin and Story of 东张西望
Jiang Xingge, from Zaoyang County in Xiangyang Prefecture, Huguang Province, married a local woman named San Qiaoer. They were deeply in love.
Xingge went to Guangdong to collect debts and did not return home for over a year.
San Qiaoer consulted a fortune-teller, who predicted her husband would return soon. Eagerly anticipating his return, she would go out every day, looking around in all directions.
Her constant gazing eventually attracted a young man named Chen Shang, who ultimately caused the breakup of Jiang Xingge's happy family.
Idioms Related to 东张西望
Antonyms of 东张西望
More idioms starting with 东
- dōng东yī一xià下xī西yī一xià下act aimlessly or erratically
- dōng东dǎo倒xī西wāi歪staggering and lopsided
- dōng东tōu偷xī西mō摸pilfer here and there
- dōng东tù兔xī西wū乌The relentless passage of time
- dōng东chōng冲xī西jué决floodwaters gushing and breaching banks
- dōng东chōng冲xī西zhuàng撞rush about aimlessly
- dōng东chōng冲xī西tū突charge and attack in all directions
- dōng东láo劳xī西yàn燕friends or lovers separating
- dōng东nán南zhī之bǎo宝outstanding talents from the Southeast
- dōng东nán南zhī之xiù秀Outstanding talents from the Southeast
- dōng东nán南zhī之měi美Eminence of the Southeast
- dōng东nán南bàn半bì壁southeastern half of the country
Questions about 东张西望
- What does 东张西望 mean?
- 东张西望 (dōng zhāng xī wàng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to look around furtively or idly”.
- How do you pronounce 东张西望?
- 东张西望 is pronounced dōng zhāng xī wàng in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 东张西望 literally mean?
- Literally, 东张西望 means “look east, gaze west”. It is used to mean “to look around furtively or idly”.
- Where does 东张西望 come from?
- 东张西望 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 东张西望?
- 张：看。形容这里那里地到处看。