Meaning and Usage
"东张西望" is an idiomatic expression meaning to look around in all directions, often implying curiosity, distraction, or searching for something or someone. It is commonly used to describe someone who is not focused or is scanning their surroundings.
Common Contexts
This phrase is frequently used in everyday situations such as children exploring a park, people searching for someone in a crowd, or someone appearing distracted in a meeting.
Collocations and Patterns
- 东张西望 + 地点 (e.g., 街上, 公园里): emphasizes the place where the looking around happens.
- 东张西望 + 动作 (e.g., 找人, 看东西): shows the purpose or reason for looking around.
Nuances
Using 东张西望 often conveys a sense of restlessness or lack of concentration. It can be neutral or slightly negative depending on context, such as implying distraction during work or study.
Common Confusion
Do not confuse 东张西望 with 观察 (observe) which implies careful and focused watching. 东张西望 suggests a more casual, sometimes nervous or curious, scanning of the environment.