Definition
左右开弓 is a four-character idiom that literally means 'draw the bow left and right'. It originally described an archer shooting arrows with both hands alternately. Today it is used metaphorically for doing two things at the same time (often with both hands), slapping someone on both sides of the face, or being ambidextrous. You can use it in any context where someone is multitasking physically or handling two tasks simultaneously.
id.
to do two things at the same timeto be ambidextrousto strike on both sides
Examples
- ，左右开弓。Tā gōngzuò hěn máng, chángcháng zuǒ yòu kāi gōng yì biān dǎ diànhuà yì biān xiě bàogào.He is very busy at work and often does two things at once — talking on the phone and writing a report.
- 左右开弓，。Zhège qiúyuán zuǒ yòu kāi gōng, zuǒshǒu hé yòushǒu tóu lán dōu hěn zhǔn.This player is ambidextrous — he shoots accurately with both his left and right hand.
- 左右开弓，。Māma zuǒ yòu kāi gōng, yì shǒu bào háizi yì shǒu zuò fàn.Mom does two things at once — holding the baby with one hand and cooking with the other.
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