左右逢源

Chinese

		left and right; left and right sides; both sides	every time; meet by chance	root; source; origin
trad. (左右逢源)		左右	逢	源
simp. #(左右逢源)		左右	逢	源
alternative forms		左右逢原

Etymology

From Mencius (《孟子·離婁下》):

孟子曰：「君子深造之以道，欲其自得之也。自得之，則居之安；居之安，則資之深；資之深，則取之左右逢其原，故君子欲其自得之也。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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孟子曰：「君子深造之以道，欲其自得之也。自得之，则居之安；居之安，则资之深；资之深，则取之左右逢其原，故君子欲其自得之也。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Mèngzǐ yuē: “Jūnzǐ shēnzào zhī yǐ dào, yù qí zì dé zhī yě. Zì dé zhī, zé jū zhī ān; jū zhī ān, zé zī zhī shēn; zī zhī shēn, zé qǔ zhī zuǒyòu féng qí yuán, gù jūnzǐ yù qí zì dé zhī yě.” [Pinyin]

Mencius said, "The superior man makes his advances in what he is learning with deep earnestness and by the proper course, wishing to get hold of it as in himself. Having got hold of it in himself, he abides in it calmly and firmly. Abiding in it calmly and firmly, he reposes a deep reliance on it. Reposing a deep reliance on it, he seizes it on the left and right, meeting everywhere with it as a fountain from which things flow. It is on this account that the superior man wishes to get hold of what he is learning as in himself."

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): zuǒyòuféngyuán

  (Zhuyin): ㄗㄨㄛˇ ㄧㄡˋ ㄈㄥˊ ㄩㄢˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): zo² jau⁶ fung⁴ jyun⁴

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zuǒyòuféngyuán
    • Zhuyin: ㄗㄨㄛˇ ㄧㄡˋ ㄈㄥˊ ㄩㄢˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: zuǒyòufóngyuán
    • Wade–Giles: tso³-yu⁴-fêng²-yüan²
    • Yale: dzwǒ-yòu-féng-ywán
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tzuooyowferngyuan
    • Palladius: цзоюфэнъюань (czojufɛnʺjuanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ joʊ̯⁵¹ fɤŋ³⁵ ɥɛn³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: zo² jau⁶ fung⁴ jyun⁴
    • Yale: jó yauh fùhng yùhn
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dzo² jau⁶ fung⁴ jyn⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: zo² yeo⁶ fung⁴ yun⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sɔː³⁵ jɐu̯²² fʊŋ²¹ jyːn²¹/

Idiom

左右逢源

1. (figurative) to be able to achieve success one way or another; to have everything going one's way
2. (figurative) to butter one's bread on both sides; to be tactful and win advantage from both sides