左右 zo² jau⁶ {zuǒ yòu}

(adjective) 1. about; (noun) close subordinate

左右 zo² jau⁶ {zuǒ yòu}

1. left and right
2. nearby
3. approximately
4. attendant
5. to control
6. to influence

左右手 zo² jau⁶ sau² {zuǒ yòu shǒu}

1. left and right hands
2. (fig.) capable assistant
3. right-hand man

左右袒 zo² jau⁶ taan² {zuǒ yòu tǎn}

1. to take sides with
2. to be partial to
3. to be biased
4. to favor one side

左右為難〔--为难〕 zo² jau⁶ wai⁴ naan⁴ {zuǒ yòu wéi nán}

to be in a dilemma; to be in a quandary

左右逢源 zo² jau⁶ fung⁴ jyun⁴ {zuǒ yòu féng yuán}

1. lit. to strike water right and left (idiom)
2. fig. to turn everything into gold
3. to have everything going one's way
4. to benefit from both sides

左右共利 zo² jau⁶ gung⁶ lei⁶ {zuǒ yòu gòng lì}

ambidextrous

左右開弓〔--开-〕 zo² jau⁶ hoi¹ gung¹ {zuǒ yòu kāi gōng}

1. lit. to shoot from both sides (idiom)
2. fig. to display ambidexterity
3. to slap with one hand and then the other, in quick succession
4. to use both feet equally (football)

左右兩難〔--两难〕 zo² jau⁶ loeng⁵ naan⁴ {zuǒ yòu liǎng nán}

1. dilemma
2. quandary
3. Scylla and Charybdis
4. between the devil and the deep blue sea (idiom)

左右勾拳 zo² jau⁶ ngau¹ kyun⁴ {zuǒ yòu gōu quán}

1. left hook and right hook (boxing)
2. the old one-two

左右做人難〔----难〕 zo² jau⁶ zou⁶ jan⁴ naan⁴ {zuǒ yòu zuò rén nán}

damned if you do, damned if you don't