等一下
děng yīxià
In Mandarin, "one moment" is expressed as 等一下 (děng yīxià).
The phrase is used to tell someone to stop or to wait for a short period of time. It can function as a direct imperative command to someone to wait, or as a verb phrase meaning to wait for a while.
Meaning: Stop, wait (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of the verb 等 (to wait) and the complement 一下 (a little bit or a moment).
Which one should you use?
While 等一下 is a common way to say "wait a moment" in spoken Mandarin, the term 稍等 is a more formal and polite way to express "please wait a moment", typically used in professional or service-oriented contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
In informal conversations, adding the particle 一下 after the verb 等 gives the sentence a more colloquial feel.
How do you pronounce it?
děng yīxià
Did you know?
- The concept of waiting is tied to the word 等候 (děnghòu), where 候 refers to the seasons. This suggests a historical view of waiting as something that aligns with the natural passage of time.
- While 等一下 means 'wait a moment', saying it repeatedly in a fast, rhythmic way can be used to express annoyance or a 'hold on now' attitude during an argument.
- While 等一下 is used for waiting, if you want someone to stop an action immediately, you might use 停 (tíng) instead, as 等一下 implies a temporal pause rather than a physical halt.
Examples in context
- 请稍等，我会尽快回来。Please wait a moment. I'll be back as soon as possible.
- 等一下，我去拿一下东西。Wait for a moment. I'll go and get something.
- 请等一下。Qǐng děng yīxià.Please wait a moment.
- 等一下，我还没准备好。Děng yīxià, wǒ hái méi zhǔnbèi hǎo.Wait a moment, I'm not ready yet.
- 等一下，我马上就来。Děng yīxià, wǒ mǎshàng jiù lái.Wait a moment, I'll be right there.
Example conversation
晓雯 is looking for her keys in her bag.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen俊杰，等一下。Jùnjié, děng yīxià.Junjie, wait a moment.
- 俊杰 Junjie你怎么了？Nǐ zěnme le?What's wrong?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我找不到我的钥匙。Wǒ zhǎo bù dào wǒ de yàoshi.I can't find my keys.
- 俊杰 Junjie别着急，我帮你找。Bié zhāojí, wǒ bāng nǐ zhǎo.Don't worry, I'll help you look.
