What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 等 (wait), 一 (one) and 陣 (a period of time/moment).
Which one should you use?
等陣 is used for a short, indefinite duration. While the phrase 等一下 (dang2 jat1 ha5) exists, it is more common in Mandarin and is less natural in colloquial Cantonese for this specific meaning.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form 等一陣 is informal and is used with friends, family or in casual settings. For a more formal or polite request, you can use 稍等一下 (siu2 dang2 jat1 haa6) to say "Please wait a moment" or add the character 請 (cing2) to the beginning of the phrase (e.g., 請等一陣) to make it more polite.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The phrase 等我一陣 (dang2 ngo5 jat1 zan6), which means "Wait for me a moment", is used mainly in Hong Kong.
How does it change in a sentence?
In casual spoken Cantonese, the numeral 一 (one) is often dropped, resulting in the form 等陣.
How do you pronounce it?
dang2 jat1 zan6
Did you know?
- The word 陣 used in this phrase refers to a 'period of time', but it is also the same word used to describe a 'gust' of wind or a 'scent' of perfume, suggesting a transient, fleeting sensation.
- In Hong Kong, saying 等我一陣 can be used socially to tell someone you are not ready to leave a place, even if you are already standing right next to them.
- The word 陣 in 等一陣 originally referred to a military formation or a gust of wind. It evokes a sense of a fleeting moment, much like a sudden breeze passing through.
Examples in context
- 等一陣啦。dang2 jat1 zan6 laa1.Please wait a moment.
- 請等一陣。cing2 dang2 jat1 zan6.Please wait a little while.
- 你喺度等一陣。nei5 hai2 dou6 dang2 jat1 zan6.Wait here for a bit.
Example conversation
Ka Yan asks Jun Kit to wait at a cafe while she grabs something.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan俊傑，你喺度等一陣。zeon3 kit3, nei5 hai2 dou6 dang2 jat1 zan6.Jun Kit, wait here for a bit.
- 俊傑 Chun Kit好呀，你要去邊？hou2 aa3, nei5 jiu3 heoi3 bin1?Okay, where are you going?
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan我去攞返啲嘢。ngo5 heoi3 lo2 faan1 di1 je5.I'm going to go get some things.
- 俊傑 Chun Kit冇問題，我等你。mou5 man6 tai4, ngo5 dang2 nei5.No problem, I'll wait for you.
