Meaning
left
Chinese: 左边、剩下的。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “zuo” becomes a different word in each tone. 左 is the 3rd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 左边zuǒ bianleft; the left side; to the left of
- 左右zuǒ yòuleft and right; nearby; approximately; attendant
- 左顾右盼zuǒ gù yòu pànglancing to left and right (idiom); to look all around
- 左上zuǒ shàngupper left
- 左下zuǒ xiàlower left
Example Sentence
商店在马路的左边。Shāng diàn zài mǎ lù de zuǒ biān.The shop is on the left side of the road.
商店Shāng diànstore在zàiat马路mǎ lùstreet的deof左边zuǒ biānleft。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
A hand shape over 工 (a tool): the hand that assists and holds the work — the ‘left’ hand.
A way to remember it
The helping hand holding the tool (工) — left.
Easy to confuse with
- 右‘Right’: the same hand on top, but over 口 (mouth) instead of 工.