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HSK 2.0 Level 6+ HSK 3.0 Level 7–9+ 5 min read

东A西B for “Here and There, All Over”

Use 东张西望 and 东奔西走 to say an action is scattered in many directions or places.

Pattern

东 + A + 西 + B (A and B are usually two similar verbs, or the same verb repeated)

东A西B means doing something here and there, in many directions; it often suggests the action is scattered or unsettled.

他站在路口东张西望，好像在找什么人。

When to use 东A西B for “Here and There, All Over”

东 “east” and 西 “west” go in front of two verbs. Here they don’t mean real directions; together they mean “this way and that, all over.” 东张西望 is “look this way, look that way”: look around. 东奔西走 is “run here, go there”: rush about from place to place.

为了这个项目，他每天东奔西走，忙得连饭都顾不上吃。

For this project he rushes from place to place every day, so busy he hardly has time to eat.

我东找西找，终于在书包里找到了钥匙。

I searched all over and finally found my keys in my schoolbag.

上课的时候别东张西望，认真听老师讲。

Don’t look around in class. Listen carefully to the teacher.

这篇文章是东拼西凑的，没有自己的观点。

This article is pieced together from here and there and has no ideas of its own.

Common traps

  • Keep the order 东 then 西: 东张西望, not 西张东望.
  • 东A西B is about many places or directions; to say you tried the same thing over and over (look at one thing again and again), 左A右B such as 左看右看 is the usual choice.
  • Many of these phrases sound a bit negative (unfocused, messy), so think before using them as praise.

Targeted drill

Practice this exact pattern before moving on.

这篇作文是东拼 凑的，看不出他自己的想法

This essay is pieced together from bits here and there; you can’t see any ideas of his own
Fill in the missing piece, then press Enter

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